Fonds consists of course materials, correspondence, subject files, reports, clippings, printed material, and index cards, relating to Hutchinson's work with the UBC Department of Biology and Botany. The fonds reflects his research interests, which included studies of conifers, forest ecology and tree genetics, particularly of the Douglas fir; to a limited extent, his personal life is also documented. The fonds also includes approximately 3,600 photographic negatives and prints (most black and white, some in colour), 1,200 lantern slides, and some transparencies. The photographs are mainly microscopic images of plants and trees in British Columbia, Mexico, Cuba, Florida and South Africa in the early part of the twentieth century. There is also a photograph album accompanying Hutchinson's report Grazing Lands in British Columbia. Finally, there are maps, charts, and diagrams, which are listed and stored separately.