Ezra Jacob Kraus (1885-1960), botanist and horticulturist, received a bachelor's degree from Michigan State College in 1907, and a Ph.D. from University of Chicago in 1917. He held teaching positions and conducted research in agriculture and horticulture at Oregon State College and University of Wisconsin. Returning to University of Chicago in 1927, he served as a professor in the Department of Botany until his retirement as professor emeritus in 1948. In his retirement, Kraus returned to Corvallis, Oregon where he continued to teach at Oregon State College.
His research in plant physiology focused on nutrition in relation to development and behavior, established the principle of the carbohydrate-nitrogen growth ratio in plants, and pioneered the use of synthetic substances in the regulation of plant growth. In 1938, Kraus began working as principal plant physiologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Plant Industry, where her supervised research in plant growth regulators. During World War II, he worked with the National Research Council to direct research and development of herbicides for use in biological warfare. This work led to the development of the weedkiller 2,4-D.
While at University of Chicago, Kraus held administrative positions including chair of the Department of Botany (1934-1947). He also edited the Botanical Gazette from 1934-1947. He held leadership positions in several professional organizations, was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and served on advisory boards for the National Research Council and the State of Illinois. For his achievements, the American Horticultural Society named Kraus among the three greatest contributors to horticulture in the twentieth century; he also received an honorary doctorate from Oregon State College in 1938.
As a horticulture enthusiast, Kraus developed dozens of hybrid garden plant varieties, including chrysanthemums, daylilies, iris, azaleas and clematis.
From the guide to the Kraus, Ezra J. Papers, 1915-1947, (Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.)
