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Contributing Institution:
University of California, Davis Library, Dept. of Special Collections
Title: Alley, Curtis J. Papers
Creator:
Alley, C. J. (Curtis John) (1918-1984)
Identifier/Call Number: D-760
Physical Description:
12.2 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1935-1984
Abstract: Curtis J. Alley was a graduate of the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology who went on to serve as a lecturer and
specialist during the 1960s until his death in 1984. He specialized in the propagation of rootstocks, grafting, and the development
of virus-free grape varieties optimized for the California climate. This collection encompasses correspondence, Dept. of Viticulture
files, course materials, research data, and organizational records of the Plant Propagator's Society, spanning from the 1950s
until the 1980s. This material was originally part of the Harold P. Olmo Collection and additional Alley materials may still
located within that collection.
Language of Material:
English
.
This collection is arranged into seven series. 1. Correspondence. 2. Department of Viticulture Materials. Subseries 2.1 Administrative
Papers. Subseries 2.2 Grape Days Sponsored by UCD. Series 3. Teaching Records. Subseries 3.1 Courses and Lectures. Subseries
3.2 Student Files. Series 4. Manuscripts and Publications by Alley. Series 5. Research Data. Series 6. Subject Files. Subseries
6.1 General. Subseries 6.2 Fair Judging. Subseries 6.3 Personal Files. Series 7. Plant Propagtor's Society.
Curtis J. Alley was a graduate of the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology who went on to serve as a lecturer and
specialist during the 1960s until his death in 1984. He specialized in the propagation of rootstocks, grafting, and the development
of virus-free grape varieties optimized for the California climate.
Studying under Harold Olmo, Curits Alley received his PhD in Genetics in 1951. After a year of working on commercial peach
breeding Alley was hired as the first manager of the clean grape program at UC Davis, the California Grape Certification Association.
Alley served as the manager of the CGCA and its successor the Foundation of Plant Materials Services until 1971. During this
time he also worked as a viticulturist for the Experiment Station. In 1971 he left as manager of the FPMS to become a full
time researcher working with Cornelius Ough. Alley was an active member in the American Society of Enologists, the American
Society of Horticultural Science, and the International Plant Propagators Society, of which he is served as secretary of the
Western Region. He participated in many state and local fairs as a Wine Judge throughout the 1950s until the 1970s. Curtis
Alley was also a pilot, and a World War II veteran.
Curtis Alley died of a heart attack in 1984 while on vacation. Because of the circumstances of his death, Harold Olmo became
the caretaker of Curtis Alley's files. Over the following years Alley's papers were intermingled with Olmo's own files and
they came to the archives as part of the Olmo collection in 20??. The collection was reprocessed in 2023 and Alley's papers
were removed to create a new collection. Some materials pertaining to Alley are still located within the Olmo collection,
most notably materials pertaining to the California Grape Certification Association, the Foundation of Plant Materials Services,
correspondence files that contained both Olmo and Alley letters, and some international travel materials. Olmo may have utilized
Alley's files as reference materials and as such resorted and refiled Alley's papers as he saw fit. Additionally, research
data that pertained to Alley may be found in both collections, as any research data which could not be clearly linked to Alley
was kept with the Olmo collection.
Sources:
"Curtis J. Alley Memorial Scholarship." Department of Viticulture and Enology.
https://wineserver.ucdavis.edu/giving/scholarhips-endowments/curtis-j-alley-memorial-scholarship . Accessed 23 October 2023.
"Orgin of Foundation Plant Services." Wine Grapes of UC Davis.
https://fps.ucdavis.edu/grapebook/winebook.cfm?chap=FPSEstablished . Accessed 23 October 2023.
The Curtis J. Alley papers contain correspondence, publications, research, and departmental records from Alley's tenure at
the Department of Viticulture and Enology. It also includes some organizaitonal records of the Plant Propagator's Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Separated from Harold Paul Olmo Papers, D-280.
Plant Physiology Lab Book Gift of Richard W. Hoenisch, 1999.
[Identification of item], Curtis J. Alley Papers, D-260, Department of Special Collections, General Library, University of
California, Davis.
Copyright is protected by the copyright law, chapter 17, of the U.S. Code. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of the Department of Special Collections, University of California, Library, Davis as the owner of the physical items and
is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Agricultural education -- California
Agricultural experiment stations -- California
Grapes -- Diseases and pests -- California
Grapes -- Breeding -- Varieties
Wine and wine making -- California