The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) fully adopted federal grading standards for food and other agricultural products during the Second World War. In 1939, the Agricultural Marketing Service, a USDA agency, began administering commodity standardization, grading, and inspections of several programs, including cotton and tobacco. This small collection mostly includes USDA issued publications and reports regarding developments in cotton standards, specifications, and classification in the mid-twentieth century.

William M. Rittase (1894-1968) was a commercial photographer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He worked for Fortune magazine and the advertising firm N.W. Ayer's of Philadelphia. He was nationally and internationally known for his work during his lifetime. This small collection comprises a series of six images that showcase the autogyro Pitcairn PCA-2 in flight, on a flight field, and its interior. These specific images are of aircraft serial number NC11610, purchased by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Entomology.