Archibald D. Shamel papers

Finding aid prepared by Hollie Johnson, Processing Archivist.

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

Descriptive Summary

Title: Archibald D. Shamel papers

Date (inclusive): 1882-1954, undated

Date (bulk): 1917-1943

Collection Number: UA 039

Creator: Shamel, A. D. (Archibald Dixon)

Extent: 17.25 linear feet (34 boxes)

Repository: Rivera Library. Special Collections Department.

Riverside, CA 92517-5900

Abstract: This collection contains correspondence, research notes, photographs, and other material regarding the professional career of Archibald D. Shamel, a physiologist with the United States Department of Agriculture who worked at the Citrus Experiment Station in Riverside, California during the early 20th century. The collection includes a large group of photographs and glass plate negatives documenting the citrus industry in Riverside and around the world. While the bulk of the collection is focused on citrus, there are materials pertaining to other non-citrus crops such as tobacco and corn. The collection also contains material about other areas of horticulture including shade trees, cacti, and flowers. Notable items include photographs, newspaper clippings, and correspondence regarding local history and the Riverside Parent Navel Orange Tree.

Languages: The collection is in English.

Access

This 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]. Archibald D. Shamel papers (UA 039). Special Collections & University Archives, University of California, Riverside.

Acquisition Information

Provenance unknown.

Processing History

Processed by Hollie Johnson, Processing Archivist, 2010.

Processing of the Archibald D. Shamel papers was generously funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The University of California, Riverside was awarded a Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives grant from 2010-2012, "Uncovering California's Environmental Collections," in collaboration with eight additional special collections and archival repositories throughout the state and the California Digital Library (CDL). Grant objectives included processing of over 33 hidden collections related to the state's environment and environmental history. The collections document an array of important sub-topics such as irrigation, mining, forestry, agriculture, industry, land use, activism, and research. Together they form a multifaceted picture of the natural world and the way it was probed, altered, exploited and protected in California over the twentieth century. Finding aids are made available through the Online Archive of California (OAC).

Biographical Note

Archibald D. Shamel was born on October 15, 1877 in Taylorville, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois, Champaign and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1902. While attending university, he worked as an instructor of farm crops. After graduation, he secured a position as a physiologist working for the United States Department of Agriculture in the Bureau of Plant Industry. In 1903, his book Manual of Corn Judging was published. In 1904 he invented a tobacco seed separating machine that improved the quality of tobacco plants by separating seeds and preventing cross pollination. Shamel married Agnes Fay Brewer in 1908 and they relocated to Riverside, California around 1910. He continued working for the Department of Agriculture at the Citrus Experiment Station (CES). Much of Shamel's work at the CES focused on the improvement of citrus crops. In 1917 he invented a citrus humidifying machine that was used in citrus packing houses to improve storage conditions for the fruit. Shamel also had an interest in shade trees and was a member of the Riverside Parks Planning Department and the Riverside Beautification Committee. In 1937 he published the book Riverside's Outstanding Trees. Towards the end of his professional career, Shamel continued to research unique and historic trees, writing articles for newspapers and magazines. In 1950, the American Pomological Society awarded him the Wilder Medal for his work with citrus and tropical fruits. Archibald D. Shamel died on April 8, 1956 in Riverside, California.

Chronology

1877	Archibald D. Shamel was born on October 15th in Taylorville, Illinois.
1899	Shamel became a charter member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, University of Illinois, Champaign.
1902	Shamel received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Illinois.
1902	Shamel started work as a Physiologist for the Bureau of Plant Industry, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
1903	Shamel published the Manual of corn judging.
1904	Shamel invented the Shamel tobacco seed separator.
1908	Shamel married Agnes Fay Brewer on September 28th.
1913	Shamel traveled to Bahia Brazil with a research expedition that included former president Theodore Roosevelt.
1917	Shamel invented the Shamel humidifier, a machine to aid in citrus storage.
1933	Shamel published the Washington Navel Orange with Carl S. Pomeroy detailing the history of the Riverside Parent Navel Orange Tree.
1937	Shamel published the book Riverside's outstanding trees.
1950	Shamel was awarded the Wilder Medal from the American Pomological Society for his work with f tropical & subtropical fruits, and mutations.
1956	Archibald D. Shamel died on April 8th in Riverside, California.

Collection Scope and Contents

This collection contains correspondence, research notes, photographs, and other material regarding the professional career of Archibald D. Shamel, a physiologist with the United States Department of Agriculture who worked at the Citrus Experiment Station in Riverside, California during the early 20th century. The collection includes a large group of photographs and glass plate negatives documenting the citrus industry in Riverside and around the world. While the bulk of the collection is focused on citrus, there are materials pertaining to other non-citrus crops such as tobacco and corn. The collection also contains material about other areas of horticulture including shade trees, cacti, and flowers. Notable items include photographs, newspaper clippings, and correspondence regarding local history and the Riverside Parent Navel Orange Tree.

Collection Arrangement

This collection is arranged into five series as follows:

Series 1. Citrus research and industry, 1882-1954, undated
Series 2. Non-citrus crops, 1899-1947, undated
Series 3. Trees and flowers, 1911-1943, undated
Series 4. Local history, 1918-1954, undated
Series 5. Research trips, 1913-1941, 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

University of California, Riverside. Citrus Research Center and Agricultural Experiment Station

Shamel, A. D. (Archibald Dixon)

Agriculture

Citrus

Horticulture

Genres and Forms of Materials

Papers (documents)

Clippings (information artifacts)

Correspondence

Negatives (photographs)

Photographs

Publications

Research notes

Series 1. Citrus research and industry 1882-1954, undated

Series Scope and Contents

This series contains photographs, correspondence, scientific publications, and glass plate negatives regarding citrus trees and the citrus industry. Topics include the improvement of citrus stock, packing houses, orchards, and worker conditions and housing. Photographs, clippings, and correspondence regarding the Riverside Parent Navel Orange Tree and Eliza and Luther Tibbets are also included.

Series Arrangement

This series is arranged sequentially according to box and folder number.

Box 1, Folder 1

Manuscripts and publications about citrus bud selection, including a chapter written for one of Dr. Herbert J. Webber's books 1937, undated.

Box 1, Folder 2

Statistics, publications, and photographs regarding citrus improvement 1909-1923, undated.

Box 1, Folder 3

Publications, papers, and photographs about frost protection methods for citrus trees 1913, undated.

Box 1, Folder 4

Photographs depicting pruning experiments conducted at the Citrus Experiment Station in Riverside, CA 1914-1915.

Box 1, Folder 5

Statistics and notes recording the performance data of citrus trees, including annual fruit yields 1913-1916.

Box 1, Folder 6

Manuscripts and publications describing the many types of citrus strains 1937, undated.

Box 2, Folder 1

Photographs of orchard irrigation methods and equipment 1911-1927.

Box 2, Folder 2

Photographs of the Shamel humidifier, invented by Archibald D. Shamel to improve citrus storage 1915.

Box 2, Folder 3

Photographs of orchard heating equipment 1914-1937.

Box 2, Folder 4

Photographs of fruit workers, orchard equipment, and fruit growing community buildings undated.

Box 2, Folder 5

Photographs of orchard equipment 1910-1919.

Box 2, Folder 6

Photographs of orchard equipment 1920-1922.

Box 3, Folder 1

Photographs and papers regarding orchard equipment 1923-1937, undated.

Box 3, Folder 2

Photographs of citrus orchards in Southern California, including the Citrus Experiment Station in Riverside 1904-1923.

Box 3, Folder 3

Photographs of citrus orchards in Southern California, including the Citrus Experiment Station in Riverside 1924-1936, undated.

Box 3, Folder 4

Photographs of citrus packing houses 1910-1931.

Box 4, Folder 1

Photographs, publications, and clippings regarding citrus workers 1915-1931, undated.

Box 4, Folder 2

Photographs of housing for citrus workers, including the racially segregated buildings for both single and married men 1914-1918.

Box 4, Folder 3

Photographs, clippings, and publications regarding housing for citrus workers, including the racially segregated quarters for both single and married men 1918-1929, undated.

Box 4, Folder 4

Scrapbook with photographs and captions of Elbert Lewis, an early citrus grower 1912, undated.

Box 4, Folder 5

Correspondence, papers, and clippings regarding grapefruit research and the grapefruit industry 1926-1934, undated.

Box 5, Folder 1

Photographs of grapefruit trees and grapefruit orchard equipment 1919-1937, undated.

Box 5, Folder 2

Photographs of different varieties of grapefruit, including cross sections and mutations 1916-1929, undated.

Box 5, Folder 3

Correspondence, notes, and papers regarding lemon research and the lemon industry 1914-1954, undated.

Box 5, Folder 4

Photographs of lemon orchards and lemon trees 1913-1932, undated.

Box 5, Folder 5

Photographs of lemons, including cross sections and mutations 1914, undated.

Box 5, Folder 6

Photographs of tangerines 1915 .

Box 6, Folder 1

Photographs, correspondence, and papers regarding orange varieties and the orange industry 1918-1937.

Box 6, Folder 2

Photographs of navel orange trees and navel oranges 1918-1936, undated.

Box 6, Folder 3

Correspondence, clippings, and papers regarding the history of the navel orange. Clippings from multiple newspapers recount Archibald D. Shamel's trip to Bahia, Brazil with President Roosevelt 1882-1940, undated.

Box 6, Folder 4

Correspondence, papers, and clippings regarding the Riverside Parent Navel Orange Tree. Includes items regarding Eliza and Luther Tibbets 1887-1934, undated.

Box 6, Folder 5

Photographs regarding the Riverside Parent Navel Orange Tree, including President Roosevelt replanting the tree in downtown Riverside 1900-1921.

Box 6, Folder 6

Photographs regarding the Riverside Parent Navel Orange Tree 1922-1933.

Box 7, Folder 1

Clippings and publications regarding the Riverside Parent Navel Orange Pageant 1933-1934.

Box 7, Folder 2

Photographs of valencia oranges, including cross sections and mutations 1912-1925, undated.

Box 7, Folder 3

Publications and correspondence regarding valencia oranges 1916-1952, undated.

Box 7, Folder 4

Photographs of transplanting valencia orange trees 1922.

Box 7, Folder 5

Publications, papers, and correspondence regarding the esthetics of orange growing 1928-1937.

Box 11, Folder 3

Photographs and documents regarding the Citrus Experiment Station in Riverside, California 1916-1926, undated.

Box 17

Glass plate negatives of orange trees, 539-556 (broken series) 1912-1915, undated.

Box 18

Glass plate negatives of orange trees, 557-673 (broken series) 1910-1915, undated.

Box 19

Glass plate negatives of orange trees, 681-835 (broken series) 1910-1911, undated.

Box 20

Glass plate negatives of orange trees, 837-1269 (broken series) 1911-1918, undated.

Box 21

Glass plate negatives of orange trees, 1266-1327 (broken series) 1915-1917, undated.

Box 22

Glass plate negatives of orange trees and oranges, 1329-2021 (broken series) 1917, undated.

Box 23

Glass plate negatives of lemon trees, 565-863 (broken series) 1911-1914, undated.

Box 24

Glass plate negatives of lemon trees, 865-888 (broken series) 1911-1914, undated.

Box 25

Glass plate negatives of lemon trees and lemons, 889-1319 (broken series) 1913-1916, undated.

Box 26

Glass plate negatives of lemon trees and lemons, 1320-1423 (broken series) 1911-1918, undated.

Box 27

Glass plate negatives of grapefruit trees and grapefruit, 648-2016 (broken series) 1911-1923, undated.

Box 28

Glass plate negatives of orchard equipment and orchard worker housing. Some items contain basic descriptions photocopied from the original envelopes, 563-2058 (broken series) 1918-1922, undated.

Box 31, Folder 1

Clippings from the farm and tractor section of the Los Angeles Times. Page 3 contains the article "The importance of improving established citrus varieties" by Archibald D. Shamel May 25, 1919.

Box 31, Folder 2

Clippings of articles written by Archibald D. Shamel regarding grapefruit and the grapefruit industry in California 1920.

Box 31, Folder 3

Clippings from the California Citrograph of an article written by Archibald D. Shamel and C.S. Pomeroy about girdling navel orange trees 1933.

Box 31, Folder 4

Clipping and correspondence regarding the Riverside Parent Navel Orange Tree and Eliza and Luther Tibbets 1887-1943.

Box 32

Glass plate negatives of lemon trees, lemons, grapefruit trees, and grapefruit, 613-2016 (broken series) 1910-1917, undated.

Box 34

Glass plate negatives of orchard equipment and orchard worker housing. Some items contain basic descriptions photocopied from the original envelopes, 2018-2031 (broken series) 1918-1922, undated.

Series 2. Non-citrus crops 1899-1947, undated

Series Scope and Contents

This series contains photographs, publications, clippings, and other material regarding non citrus crops studied and researched by Archibald D. Shamel. Photographs depict date palm groves and the cross sections of various fruit. Topics include the inventions and methods created by Shamel to improve tobacco plants.

Series Arrangement

This series is arranged sequentially according to box and folder number.

Box 8, Folder 1

Photographs and publications regarding avocados and the avocado industry 1921-1938, undated.

Box 8, Folder 2

Publications and photographs regarding apples, including histories of the oldest apple trees in the United States 1921-1937.

Box 8, Folder 3

Photographs of sweet potatoes 1925.

Box 8, Folder 4

Photographs regarding the history of corn and the corn industry. Notable images include corn judging classes from 1899 and the Iowa seed corn gospel train 1899-1925, undated.

Box 8, Folder 5

Photographs of tobacco crops and equipment. Notable images include tobacco plants with paper bags placed over the blossoms, a crop improvement method invented by Shamel 1905-1917, undated.

Box 8, Folder 6

Photographs of artichoke fields and artichokes 1917-1918, undated.

Box 8, Folder 7

Correspondence and clippings about soy beans and soy bean growing 1947.

Box 8, Folder 8

Photographs of asparagus and asparagus plants 1918.

Box 8, Folder 9

Photographs of dates and date palm groves 1916-1922.

Box 9, Folder 1

Photographs of dates and date palm groves 1923-1937, undated.

Box 9, Folder 2

Photographs and papers regarding peaches and the history of specific peach trees 1925-1937, undated.

Box 9, Folder 3

Photographs of pears, including cross sections and mutations 1918-1927.

Box 9, Folder 4

Correspondence and photographs regarding pears and pear trees 1930-1938, undated.

Box 9, Folder 5

Photographs and clippings regarding grape vines, plum trees, and persimmons 1907-1936, undated.

Box 10, Folder 3

Photographs of pistachio trees 1929.

Box 29

Glass plate negatives of artichoke fields, tobacco fields, date palm groves, and other non citrus crops, 1363-2185 (broken series) 1907-1917, undated.

Box 31, Folder 5

Clippings of an article written by Archibald D. Shamel and C. S. Pomeroy about apple and pear trees planted during the gold rush in Douglas Flat, California November 5, 1933.

Box 33

Glass plate negatives of asparagus, pears, avocado, and mango, 1401-1420 and 2015-2185 (broken series) 1907-1971, undated.

Series 3. Trees and flowers 1911-1943, undated

Series Scope and Contents

This series contains publications, correspondence, photographs, clippings, and other material regarding varieties of shade trees, cacti, and flowers studied and researched by Archibald D. Shamel. Topics include a chronology of historic trees in California and Mexico as well as advice about the care of trees. Descriptions and images of mutations are also included.

Series Arrangement

This series is arranged sequentially according to box and folder number.

Box 9, Folder 6

Publications, correspondence, and photographs regarding athel trees 1943.

Box 9, Folder 7

Photographs and notes regarding the agatha robusta trees planted at the Citrus Experiment Station in Riverside, California 1943.

Box 9, Folder 8

Photographs of cactus in California and Arizona 1922.

Box 9, Folder 9

Photographs, specimens, and papers regarding the California pepper tree 1941-1943, undated.

Box 9, Folder 10

Correspondence, photographs, and pamphlets regarding the history of the Christmas trees that line the main road in Alta Dena, California 1936.

Box 10, Folder 1

Papers and correspondence regarding the Mexican ash tree 1942, undated.

Box 10, Folder 2

Photographs of oak root fungus 1942.

Box 10, Folder 4

Photographs, clippings, and publications regarding different varieties of shade trees. Includes a pamphlet regarding the trees in Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks 1911-1943, undated.

Box 10, Folder 5

Photographs and papers regarding different varieties of flowers, including the history of the Cecile Brunner rose 1917-1929, undated.

Box 30

Glass plate negatives of shade trees and flowers, 1340-1362 1917-1918, undated.

Series 4. Local history 1918-1954, undated

Series Scope and Contents

This series contains clippings, photographs, and other material regarding the history of California. The bulk of the material focuses on the city of Riverside and surrounding areas, pertaining to topics such as historic Riverside homes and the Riverside Beautification Committee. Photographs of Mecca, California and Palm Springs, California are also included.

Series Arrangement

This series is arranged sequentially according to box and folder number.

Box 10, Folder 6

Clippings and papers regarding the Riverside Beautification Committee 1950-1954, undated.

Box 10, Folder 7

Publications regarding trees planted in Corona, California undated.

Box 10, Folder 8

Photographs of the J. Harrison Wright house located in Riverside, California 1929.

Box 10, Folder 9

Photographs of Riverside, California 1918-1954, undated.

Box 10, Folder 10

Clippings and papers regarding Riverside, California 1950-1954, undated.

Box 11, Folder 1

Papers from the Riverside Rotary Club 1953, undated.

Box 11, Folder 2

Reports and clippings from the Riverside Parks Department 1943-1953, undated.

Box 11, Folder 4

Papers and notes written by Archibald D. Shamel regarding his various personal research interests, including early California history 1936-1938, undated.

Box 11, Folder 5

Clippings about Archibald D. Shamel 1936-1951.

Box 11, Folder 6

Photographs from family trips to Idyllwild, San Jacinto, and Palm Springs, California 1922-1926.

Box 30

Glass plate negatives of Mecca and Thermal, California, 1410-1411 1917-1918, undated.

Series 5. Research trips 1913-1941

Series Scope and Contents

This series contains photographs, notes, and other material documenting Archibald D. Shamel's research trips when working for the United States Department of Agriculture. Topics include citrus production, native plants, farming techniques, and native cultures in Mexico, Hawaii, Brazil, Guatemala, and the West Indies.

Series Arrangement

This series is arranged sequentially according to box and folder number.

Box 12, Folder 1

Clippings, publications, and photographs regarding a research trip to Bahia, Brazil to study citrus 1913.

Box 12, Folder 2

Lists of lantern slides and photographs from a Brazil research trip 1913.

Box 12, Folder 3

Paper on orange growing in Brazil undated.

Box 12, Folder 4

Photographs from a Brazil research trip, 10-411 (broken series). Notable images include Theodore Roosevelt with Archibald D. Shamel on the ship to Brazil 1913.

Box 12, Folder 5

Photographs from a Brazil research trip, 420-588 1913.

Box 12, Folder 6

Photographs from a Brazil research trip, 589-949 1913.

Box 12, Folder 7

Photographs from a Brazil research trip, 951-17081 1913.

Box 13, Folder 1

Photographs from a Brazil research trip, 17082-2184 1913.

Box 13, Folder 2

Photographs from a West Indies and Barbados research trip 1914.

Box 13, Folder 3

Photographs from Hawaii research trips, including multiple images of an exploding volcano 1920-1922.

Box 11, Folder 4

Photographs from Hawaii research trips 1923-1927.

Box 13, Folder 5

Paper on orange growing in Hawaii undated.

Box 13, Folder 6

Photographs with descriptions from a research trip to Honduras, 37691-37712 1926.

Box 13, Folder 7

Photographs with descriptions from a research trip to Honduras, 37713-37720 1926.

Box 14, Folder 1

Clippings, photographs, and papers regarding El Tule, the oldest tree in Mexico 1937.

Box 14, Folder 2

Papers, postcards, and a report to the United States Agriculture Department regarding Archibald D. Shamel's research trip to Mexico 1938.

Box 14, Folder 3

Notebooks (three) containing sketches and data from Archibald D. Shamel's research trip to Mexico 1938.

Box 14, Folder 4

Documents describing ornamental trees and plants in Mexico undated.

Box 14, Folder 5

Papers regarding evergreen willow trees in Mexico 1939.

Box 14, Folder 6

Papers regarding Mexican limes and lime trees 1941.

Box 14, Folder 7

Map of the Mexican railway system 1937.

Box 14, Folder 8

List of the photographs taken during Shamel's Mexico research trip 1938.

Box 14, Folder 9

Photographs gathered from research trips to Mexico 1930-1938.

Box 15, Folder 1

Postcards from Mexico research trips undated.

Box 15, Folder 2

Photographs from a Mexico research trip, 51004-51045 (broken series). Images include native plants, Mexican villages and towns, and notable tourist sites 1930.

Box 15, Folder 3

Photographs from Mexico research trips, 51046-51255 (broken series) 1930-1931.

Box 15, Folder 4

Photographs from a Mexico research trip, 51256-51290 (broken series) 1938.

Box 15, Folder 5

Photographs from a Mexico research trip, 5291-51306 (broken series) 1938.

Box 16, Folder 1

Photographs from Mexico research trips, 51307-51320 (broken series) 1936-1938.

Box 16, Folder 2

Photographs from a Mexico research trip, 51321-51329 (broken series) 1936.

Box 16, Folder 3

Photographs from a research trip to Guatemala, 37727-37734 (broken series). Images include native plants, native animals, and village scenes 1926.

Box 16, Folder 4

Photographs from a Guatemala research trip, 37736-37746 (broken series) 1926.

Box 16, Folder 5

Photographs from a research trip to Mesa, Arizona. Images include the Roosevelt dam and the Salt River 1925.

Box 16, Folder 6

Photographs from a research trip to Mississippi. Images include riverboats and orchard equipment 1926.