The Frank N. Meyer collection, collection #295, Special Collections, National Agricultural Library.
In 1901, Frans Nicholas Meijer (1875-1918) emigrated from the Netherlands to America where he became Frank Meyer. Almost immediately Meyer went to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Erwin F. Smith, known internationally for his groundbreaking work in bacteriology. In 1902 Meyer began working at USDA's Plant Introduction Station in Santa Ana, California. The period from 1905-1908 marked the beginning of Meyer's expeditions to Asia, where he collected plants in China, Russia, and Japan, as well as other countries. During his second expedition from 1909-1912, he collected in Europe, Russia, and in China. From 1913-1915, he explored and collected plants in Russia and China. Meyer's fourth and final expedition took place from 1916-1918. The purpose of this journey is stated in the accompanying typescripts, dated July 25, 1916. In summary, Meyer was to explore the portion of China lying southeast of Shanghai and south of the Yangtze River. He was to seek and collect southern peaches, bamboos--both timber and edible--the tung or wood-oil tree, improved varieties of tallow trees, the lichi, longan, root crops for wet lands, new varieties of rive, soy beans, raspberries, pears, chesnuts, and ornamental shrubs and timber trees. Meyer died an untimely death in June 1918. A passenger on the Feng Yang Maru Japanese riverboat, destined for Shanghai, he fell overboard into the Yangtze River. His body was recovered, but the circumstances of his death will always remain a mystery and source of speculation. Honored the world over for his contributions as a plant explorer, Frank Meyer's work touches us all every day. From apricots to wild pears, his introductions number over 2,500.
In 1901, Frans Nicholas Meijer (1875-1918) emigrated from the Netherlands to America where he became Frank Meyer. Almost immediately Meyer went to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Erwin F. Smith, known internationally for his groundbreaking work in bacteriology. In 1902 Meyer began working at USDA's Plant Introduction Station in Santa Ana, California. The period from 1905-1908 marked the beginning of Meyer's expeditions to Asia, where he collected plants in China, Russia, and Japan, as well as other countries. During his second expedition from 1909-1912, he collected in Europe, Russia, and in China. From 1913-1915, he explored and collected plants in Russia and China. Meyer's fourth and final expedition took place from 1916-1918. The purpose of this journey is stated in the accompanying typescripts, dated July 25, 1916. In summary, Meyer was to explore the portion of China lying southeast of Shanghai and south of the Yangtze River. He was to seek and collect southern peaches, bamboos--both timber and edible--the tung or wood-oil tree, improved varieties of tallow trees, the lichi, longan, root crops for wet lands, new varieties of rive, soy beans, raspberries, pears, chesnuts, and ornamental shrubs and timber trees. Meyer died an untimely death in June 1918. A passenger on the Feng Yang Maru Japanese riverboat, destined for Shanghai, he fell overboard into the Yangtze River. His body was recovered, but the circumstances of his death will always remain a mystery and source of speculation. Honored the world over for his contributions as a plant explorer, Frank Meyer's work touches us all every day. From apricots to wild pears, his introductions number over 2,500.
