International Nursery and Seed Catalog Collection, 1845-2013

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Summary

Creators:
University of California, Davis. Library
Abstract:
This collection consists of catalogs from nurseries and seed companies outside the United States.
Extent:
36.4 linear feet
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], International Nursery and Seed Catalog Collection, O-041, Department of Special Collections, University Library, University of California, Davis.

Background

Scope and content:

Catalogs of trees, fruits, vegetables, grains, flowers, and gardening equipment introduced to the public from 1845 to the present, from Canada, England, Western Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and India. Many contain horticultural and pomological illustrations chronicling the history of cultivated plants.

For the purposes of this collection, a nursery and/or seed catalog must have a listing of plants available for sale, a price list, and the name and location of the vendor. It can be a single sheet, pamphlet or bound volume.

Biographical / historical:

The International Nursery and Seed Catalog Collection began when the library was established on the University Farm at Davis in 1908. The catalogs originally served as a current reference resource and many were lost to heavy use. When the Library and Administration building opened in 1940, the nursery catalogs were maintained in the library's reference department as an in-house pamphlet collection.

Beginning in 1968, the nursery and seed catalogs were transferred to the Department of Special Collections where they became a formal collection. The collection grew with the donation of other established collections. Harry Butterfield's collection came in 1972 followed in 1973 by the Ferry-Morse Seed Company catalog collection. The collection continues to grow through other donations from companies and individual collectors.

Physical location:
Researchers should contact Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

All applicable copyrights for the collection are protected under chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code. 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 Regents of the University of California as the owner of the physical items. It is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], International Nursery and Seed Catalog Collection, O-041, Department of Special Collections, University Library, University of California, Davis.

Location of this collection:
University of California, Davis, Special Collections, UC Davis Library
100 NW Quad
Davis, CA 95616-5292, US
Contact:
(530) 752-1621
speccoll@ucdavis.edu
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