Date Palm collection
Finding aid prepared by Serena Rodholm, Student Processing Assistant.
Special Collections & University Archives
The UCR Library
P.O. Box 5900
University of California
Riverside, California 92517-5900
Phone: 951-827-3233
Fax: 951-827-4673
Email: specialcollections@ucr.edu
URL: http://library.ucr.edu/libraries/special-collections-university-archives
© 2017
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Date Palm collection
Date (inclusive): circa 1870-1970
Collection Number: MS 047
Extent:
5.75 linear feet
(5 boxes, 1 flat file folder)
Repository:
Rivera Library. Special Collections Department.
Abstract: This collection contains records and research on the date palm industry and date palm farming throughout the 20th century,
including photographs of date palm farms, brochures, and newspaper clippings. Additionally, the collection contains photographs,
programs, correspondence, and pamphlets pertaining to the United States Department of Agriculture Date Station, and items
from date palm researchers Walter T. Swingle, and Roy W. Nixon.
Languages: The collection is in English and French.
Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright Unknown: Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction,
and/or commercial use, of some materials may be restricted by gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and
publicity rights, licensing agreement(s), and/or trademark rights. Distribution or reproduction of materials protected by
copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. To the extent other restrictions
apply, permission for distribution or reproduction from the applicable rights holder is also required. Responsibility for
obtaining permissions, and for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], [date if possible]. Date Palm collection (MS 047). Special Collections & University Archives, University
of California, Riverside.
Acquisition Information
Provenance unknown.
Processing History
The collection was processed by Serena Rodholm, Student Processing Assistant, in 2017.
Processing of the Date Palm collection was completed by undergraduate students from the University of California, Riverside
as part of the Special Collections & University Archives Backlog Processing Project started in 2015. This project was funded
by the UCR Library and administered by Jessica Geiser, Collections Management Librarian.
Collection Scope and Contents
This collection contains photographs, brochures, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and other material regarding the date
palm industry and research efforts related to this plant species. Materials in the collection include photographs of date
palm farms in California, North Africa, and Iraq as well as photographs regarding the cultivation of palm varieties and palm
diseases. Brochures and newspaper clippings documenting the date palm industry in the Coachella Valley are also included.
Additionally, this collection includes items from the United States Department of Agriculture Date Station as well as researchers
Walter T. Swingle, and Roy W. Nixon.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is divided into eight series. The series are arranged as follows:
- Series 1. Photographs, circa 1870-1979
- Series 2. Newspapers, 1912-1966
- Series 3. Correspondence, 1903-1986
- Series 4. Programs, 1927-1950
- Series 5. Date palm informational material, 1887-2015
- Series 6. Pamphlets, circa 1914-1968
- Series 7. Scrapbooks, 1909-1951
- Series 8. Maps, 1914-1958, undated
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Nixon, Roy W. (Roy Wesley), 1895-
Swingle, Walter T. (Walter Tennyson), 1871-1952
Agriculture -- Research
Date palm
Dates (fruit)
Genres and Forms of Materials
Brochures
Clippings (information artifacts)
Photographs
Series 1. Photographs
circa 1870-1979
Series Scope and Contents
This series consists of photographs of date palm farms in the United States, Iraq, and Sudan, and types of dates, mostly taken
or collected by researchers John Carpenter, Roy W. Nixon, S.C. Mason, and Walter T. Swingle.
Series Arrangement
The series is divided into five subseries as follows, mainly by the researcher who took or collected the photographs:
- Sub-Series 1.1. John Carpenter, 1930-1932
- Sub-Series 1.2. Roy W. Nixon, circa 1915-1980
- Sub-Series 1.3. Walter T. Swingle, circa 1900-1933
- Sub-Series 1.4. S.C. Mason, 1907
- Sub-Series 1.5. Photograph negatives, circa 1926-1979
Sub-Series 1.1. John Carpenter
1930-1932
Sub-Series Scope and Contents
The sub-series consists of photographs from the files of John Carpenter, the former Director of the United States Date & Citrus
Station. Photographs in the sub-series depict date palm farms and farming techniques in California, Egypt and Sudan.
Sub-Series Arrangement
Materials are arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Box 1, Folder 1
Coachella Valley, CA
1930
Sub-Series 1.2. Roy W. Nixon
circa 1915-1980
Sub-Series Scope and Contents
This sub-series contains photographs from researcher Roy W. Nixon, and consists mostly of photographs of date palm farms and
trees in various locations.
Sub-Series Arrangement
Materials in the sub-series are arranged alphabetically by photograph location.
Box 1, Folder 3
Bernard G. Johnson identification
1915-1916
Box 1, Folder 4
Glass plate negative - unknown location
undated
Box 1, Folder 14
Coachella Valley, CA
1921
Box 1, Folder 15
Coachella Valley, CA
circa 1932
Box 1, Folder 16
Coachella Valley, CA
1953
Box 1, Folder 30
Karun River, Iraq
undated
Box 1, Folder 36
Mike Tobin Ranch, NV
1930
Box 1, Folder 37
Mitchell Date Orchard
1948
Box 1, Folder 38
Mohammerah, Persia
undated
Box 1, Folder 44
San Francisco, CA
undated
Box 1, Folder 50
Unknown location
circa 1870
Box 1, Folder 51
Unknown location
circa 1880
Box 1, Folder 56
Unknown location
1929-1930
Sub-Series 1.3. Walter T. Swingle
circa 1900-1933
Sub-Series Scope and Contents
This sub-series contains photographs from researcher Walter T. Swingle, and consists mostly of photographs of date palm farms
in California and Arizona.
Sub-Series Arrangement
Materials in the sub-series are arranged alphabetically by location.
Box 1, Folder 64
Coachella Valley, CA
undated
Sub-Series 1.4. S.C. Mason
1907
Sub-Series Scope and Contents
This sub-series contains photographs taken by S.C. Mason in Indio, California, showing date palms and other plants in various
date gardens in the area. The photographs have been mounted on paper, with typed captions accompanying each image.
Sub-Series Arrangement
Materials in the sub-series are arranged in their original order.
Box 1, Folder 77
S.C. Mason photographs
1907 April 6
Sub-Series 1.5. Photograph negatives
circa 1926-1979
Sub-Series Scope and Contents
This sub-series consists of negatives not connected to any researcher, and depict mainly date palm farms and farming techniques.
Sub-Series Arrangement
Materials are arranged alphabetically.
Box 1, Folder 79
"Fieldtrip, Bard TSRU"
1930
Box 1, Folder 81
"Negatives of Which No More Prints are Required"
undated
Box 1, Folder 82
"Parker Arizona, Halawy"
undated
Box 1, Folder 83
Trip to Willow Ranch, Gervian Ranch, and Tempe
1926
Box 1, Folder 84
"Unthinned Deglet Noor"
1940
Box 1, Folder 85
Untitled (Unknown)
undated
Series 2. Newspapers
1912-1966
Series Scope and Contents
The series consists of newspaper clippings and larger newspapers on national and international date palm farms from 1912-1966.
Series Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by folder and publication title.
Box 1, Folder 86, Box 5, Folder 1
Box 5, Folder 3
Los Angeles Times
1922-1930
Box 5, Folder 4
Pacific Royal Press
1936-1944
Series 3. Correspondence
1903-1986
Series Scope and Contents
This series consists of correspondence from 1903 to 1986 from researchers R. Holtby Meyers, Roy W. Nixon, and Walter T. Swingle
regarding their research and date palm farming.
Series Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by the correspondents' last names.
Box 1, Folder 87
R. Holtby Meyers
1903-1932
Box 1, Folders 89-90, Box 2, Folders 1-2
Walter T. Swingle
1904-1986
Box 2, Folder 3
West India Gardens offshore purchases
1913
Series 4. Programs
1927-1950
Series Scope and Contents
This series is made up of the Date Grower's Institute meeting invitations and programs.
Series Arrangement
This series is arranged by subject.
Box 2, Folder 4
Date Growers Institute
1927-1950
Series 5. Date palm informational material
1887-1967
Series Scope and Contents
This series consists of historical information, newspaper clippings, Department of Agirculture correspondence and informtion,
general correspondence, photographs, and a DVD regarding date palm farms and research ranging from 1887 to 2015.
Series Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically using the orginal folder titles.
Box 2, Folder 5
California Cultivator
1930
Box 2, Folder 7
Date: History and Development of the Date. How to Grow Dates. by Prof. D.W. Albert, University of Arizona
1930
Box 2, Folder 9
Date industry
March 1950-1957
Box 2, Folder 10
Dates: Artificial Ripening, etc. by Paul B. Popence, Queensland Agr'l. Journal
1913
Box 2, Folder 11
Dates: Arizona: The date prospers in, by Ethel W. Musgrave
1925
Box 2, Folder 12
Dates: Balling Device. Invention of an Arizona Nuseryman which is attracting attention of nursery world
1915
Box 2, Folder 13
Dates: Baluchistan. Description of Panjgur date region, by Capt. Severn I.A. Williams
1913
Box 2, Folder 14
Dates:
Best on Earth, by Cully A. Cobb
1929
Box 2, Folder 15
Dates: Brazil Memo. re date culture in the State of Bahia, Brazil. by W.T. Swingle
1925
Box 2, Folder 16
Dates: Bruce Drummond's Interesting Work, Resignation, etc.
1923
Box 2, Folder 17
Dates:
Date Growing in Sunny California. By Jane Wlwyn. In Money Making
1924
Box 2, Folder 18
Dates: Date Palms and Dates. By A.A. Wheeler. In Pacific Rural Press, p. 21
1897
Box 2, Folder 19
Dates: Death Valley.
The Hottest Spot in the United States, A hellish, hopeless Desert. By Mary E. Walker
1924
Box 2, Folder 20
Dates: Deglet Noor strains. By W.T. Swingle
1912
Box 3, Folder 21
Dates: Expedition to
Oasis of Siwa, Report on. By H.A. Rankin
1905
Box 2, Folder 22
Dates (Florida). Growing dates in Florida. Photostat copy of illustrations
1920-1929
Box 2, Folder 23
Dates: Flower Characters. Diversity of Flower Characters in the Cultivated Varieties of Phoenix dactylifera L.
1932
Box 2, Folder 24
Dates: History (short) of the date industry of America. By W.L. Paul
1922
Box 2, Folder 25
Dates: Illustrations (photographs of date palms used in Yearbook Sep.949)
1926
Box 2, Folder 26
Date (code) Imported Date Packing Industry
1933
Box 2, Folder 27
Dates: India. Typewritten paper by A.C. Hartless, Saharnpur, India
1907
Box 2, Folder 28
Dates: Insect infestations. Various memoranda
1917-1919
Box 2, Folder 29
Dates: Mexico, Date Tree pollination. Consular Report
1909
Box 2, Folder 31
Dates: Pollen, Visability of. 1924 A.B. Stout
1923
Box 2, Folder 32
Dates. Report for Sudan Government. By S. C. Mason
1924-1925
Box 2, Folder 33
Dates: San Joaquin Valley. W.R. Nutting
1919
Box 2, Folder 34
Dates: Selling Dates to Sportsmen. By Walter T. Swingle
1934
Box 2, Folder 35
Dates: Status of the Industry in the United States. By W.T. Swingle
1906-1913
Box 2, Folder 36
Dates: Spraying Solutions, use, etc.
1915
Box 2, Folder 37
Dates: Seteroptican Views, List of, By W.T. Swingle. (Saraha Desert)
1921
Box 2, Folder 38
Dates: Tafilet date. Memoranda, etc. By W.T. Swingle
1911
Box 2, Folder 39
Dates: Texas Agricultural Experiment Station branch - WESLACO, TEXAS Data re quarantine nursery of imported 'Iraq offshoots
sent in May 1929
1929
Box 2, Folder 40
DATES: Texas, micellaneous note on dates growing in, (See also Dates: Texas Agr. Exp. Sta.)
1897-1933
Box 2, Folder 41
Dates: Transplanting seedling date palms. Bruce Drummord
1914
Box 2, Folder 42
Dates: Varieties, Braim. (Consular
Report, Baghdad, Iraq, June 8, 1933)
1933
Box 2, Folder 43
Dates: Varieties. Rain-Resistant. W.T. Swingle
1930
Box 2, Folder 44
Dates. Varieties. Saidy Date of Egypt. U.S.D.A.Bul. 1125
1922-1933
Box 2, Folder 45
Dates. Varieties. Saidy Date. Notes &c
1921
Box 2, Folder 46
Department of Agriculture
1900-1950
Box 2, Folder 47
Department of Agriculture
1952-1967
Box 2, Folder 48
DVD Collection of Date Palm Reference Material
2015
Box 2, Folder 49
Farm and Orchard Page
1927
Box 2, Folder 50
Iraq: Hammurabi's Code By C.H. Pease - Hidalgo County (Texas) Independent
1933
Box 2, Folder 51
Los Angeles Sunday Times
1921
Box 2, Folder 52
Reports & Bulletins
1914-1962
Series 6. Pamphlets
circa 1914-1968
Series Scope and Contents
The collection consists of pamphlets and brochures from various date farms in Baja California, Arizona, California, and Florida
from circa 1914-1968.
Series Arrangement
The series is arranged alphabetically by location.
Box 2, Folder 54
Coachella Valley
circa 1924-1963
Box 2, Folder 55
Date Gardens, AZ
circa 1946
Box 2, Folders 56-59
Date Gardens, CA
circa 1914-1964
Box 3, Folder 2
Desert Hot Springs
undated
Box 3, Folder 6
Palo Verde Valley
circa 1954
Box 3, Folder 8
Riverside County
1938-1965
Series 7. Scrapbooks
circa 1909-1951
Series Scope and Contents
This series consists of eight scrapbooks depicting date palms and date palm farm research from the early to middle 1900's.
Most of the photographs within the scrapbooks contain captions describing each image.
Series Arrangement
The series is arranged by the original scrapbook number.
Box 3, Folders 23, Box 4, Folders 1-2
Box 4, Folders 3-5
Crop Physiology & Breeding Investigations Scrapbook
1909-1920
Series 8. Maps
1914-1958, undated
Series Scope and Contents
The series is made up of maps depicting the boundaries of Arizona, India, Riverside County, and the Coachella Valley. There
are maps of the Coachella Valley that focus on Native American land, canal building, and attractions. Included are two maps
of the topography of California.
Series Arrangement
The series consists of 17 maps arranged by size.
Box 2, Folder 60
Visit the Scenic Spots in Coachella Valley - Valerie Jean Date Shop
undated
Box 2, Folder 60
Proposed Coachella Valley Unit of All American Canal - Coachella Valley County Water District
undated
Flat-File-Folder 1, Item 1
Map Showing Roads to Points of Interest in and Around the Coachella Valley - Geo. H. Schisler, Realtor
undated
Flat-File-Folder 1, Item 2
Central Coachella Valley Real Estate - Richard O. (Dick) Davis
1952
Flat-File-Folder 1, Item 3
Map of Coachella Valley - Coachella Valley Board of Realtors
circa 1958
Flat-File-Folder 1, Items 4-5
India and Ceylon - Gazetteer Index
undated
Flat-File-Folder 1, Item 6
Stay in Indio Scenic Guide and Map of the Fabulous Coachella Valley - McCandless Cadillac-Pontiac
undated
Flat-File-Folder 1, Items 7-9
Boulder Canyon Project, All American Canal System, Imperial Irrigation District - Dept. of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation
1931
Flat-File-Folder 1, Item 10
Automobile Road Map of Lower (Baja) California - Automobile Club of Southern California
undated
Flat-File-Folder 1, Items 11-12
New Renié Admap of Indio and Coachella
undated
Flat-File-Folder 1, Item 13
Map of the Coachella Valley - The France Investment Company
1914
Flat-File-Folder 1, Item 14
Southwestern San Bernardino and Riverside County - Blackburn's Map of Southern California
1930
Flat-File-Folder 1, Item 15
Kaibab National Forest, Arizona - U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Forest Service
1930
Flat-File-Folder 1, Item 16
Soil Map, California Coachella Valley Sheet - U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Bureau of Soils
1923
