Nursery and Seed Catalog Collection, 1856-2019
Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- University of California, Davis. Library
- Abstract:
- This collection consists of catalogs from nurseries and seed companies in the United States.
- Extent:
- 192.2 linear feet
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], Nusery and Seed Catalog Collection, O-009, Special Collections, UC Davis Library, University of California, Davis.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
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. The collection covers companies located in the United States. The dates range from 1856 to the present. There is a separate collection for international nursery and seed catalogs.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The 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 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], Nusery and Seed Catalog Collection, O-009, Special Collections, UC Davis Library, University of California, Davis.
- Location of this collection:
-
University of California, Davis, Special Collections, UC Davis Library100 NW QuadDavis, CA 95616-5292, US
- Contact:
- (530) 752-1621