Auchter, E. C. (Eugene Curtis), 1889-1952

Auchter, Eugene Curtis was born on September 14, 1889 in Elmgrove, New York, United States. Son of William David and Florence Monroa (Curtis) Auchter. He obtained his B.S. degree from Cornell University in 1912, M.S. in 1918 and Ph.D. in 1923.

He was Assistant and Associate Professor Horticulturist at West Virginia State University from 1912 to 1917. In 1917 he became head of the department of horticulture at the University of Maryland where he continued until 1928 when he became Principal Horticulturist in charge of the Division of Fruit and Vegetable Crops and Diseases in the United States Department of Agriculture. He became Chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry in 1938 and continued until 1942 when he became Administrator of the Agricultural Research Service, a position he held until 1945.

In 1945 he resigned and became Director of the Pineapple Research Institute in Hawaii and Vice President of the Pineapple Growers' Association. He was a member of many horticultural organizations including a member of the Board of Managers of the New York Botanic Gardens, honorary Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society of London, A.A.A.S., American Society of Plant Physiologists, American Society for Horticultural Science, American Genetic Association and the Botanical Society of America.

He was author of the following books:

Orchard and Small Fruit Culture (with H.B. Knapp) 1929

Growing Tree and Small Fruits 1929

Dr. Auchter had a profound influence on the quality of research in horticulture in the United States Department of Agriculture and was of outstanding influence with horticulture. He has been listed as a noteworthy horticulturist by Marquis Who's Who.