Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-04-02

Eno 1hthUn@AAoMt SSSuYAo~ ~
the Firm Petals OF thor Bust
moss Opera lions Mr.. xsrry's
seed Farm.
Anything pertaining to the culture o.
seed aud tAs msshods Of sapplJiag the trade
sanno. far 70 b. OF intsrsst 10 oil Of our
western readers, fos the most obvioos rsa-
sons. From shis fact and having . few
week. ago visited the immense estsblah.
m.nt Of u. NJ. Ferry / Co.. ct Ds.roit, We
copy the following from the Detroit Tribune
Of recent date, With the assurance to our
readers that nothing in it Ia overdrAwn and
exaggerated;
We have frsquentlJ solicited the firm
whose name appears at the head OF this
article, TO Allou Us TO review their business
- nevs item, bat their mOdesIy prevented
until several eastern houses established The
preoedeat some Of them proclsuing them
selves the largest seed houses IN tbs world
We have ioug known that this hrm vas 90
log an immense business in their line, but had
no idsa uRul We Waited them, that De'roh
could boast OF Seed Establishment Of such
proportions certainly, the equal, aud, We
thiak by comparing statistics We Nave gath
cred OF odds the largest esIA6lishueat OF
the kiud ia America. Ins following 10 the
result OF Information courteossly furnished
by members OF the firm. aud the observe
tiona OF . reporter of THE TKIBuSE who
recently visited the esIAblishmenL
coNPostTIoS OF TIE FIRM
The house was established 10 1856, under
the style Of N. T. G.rdner A Co, Nj.
Fsry being al eqaSl partner 81 its orRAni-
EatioD. The struggle for more existencs
was long aud severe, and for several years II
vas question able vholher the business would
prove 90 ultimate success or not, a. IL
growth was 20 impsrosprols that IL NH'
often impossible 70 fore,ell on which side o
profit aud loss account ,he ssnual bAlanc,
would appear. 800 49,
90 Nc. Gsrdnsr's rs,iriss, Mr.. Ferr,
took Ais position ~ the head OF the house
aud BY industry, business skill add jus
dealing, succeeded IN establishing its 6nAh
ciAl position Several mihor changes IN Ih'
firm occurred up TO 1867. when the 6rm oI
ID. N. Ferry 4 Co. vsI formed. uudsT whos
auspices the business has reached its pres
snt gigantic proportions. The 6rm 10 com
posed Of ID. NJ Ferry. Il. X. White aud C
Q. Bosch, ell OF whom are ompsrAIivel
yoong mon.
Their business 10 Justly their pride, On,
they devote their whole time TO 1. With ~
enthusiasm that has achieved the creates
success.
THEIR wARE-RooMs.
They occupy four stores OF the four storJ
block corner Of Wood yard aud GrAud Rive
avenues, (sIceptiag the cellar aud 6rs
floor Of No 1879 aud the cellar and first foo
Of No. 2O5 Woodvar Avsnus). They Als'
have . bridge sKtsading across the alley e
the Preston block. where they occupy si'
rooms. They slso use exclusively TO
storage, their three story seed house OF
Grand River avenue, making . total OF 2
different apartments, most Of which are "
feet deep, Hud many Of which have an sKtr
floor suspended bstweon tbs ceiling and sh
regular door which nearly doubles thei
capacity. The immense qOsntity OF root
would seem suffc isat to store seeds eBous
10 supply the world, but the firm arrange
have only . portion Of their crops and in
portAIions delivered at one tiue. 90 Secouu
of their total inability 70 store them.
The pstsblishmsnt "a divided iO'o man
departments, each one iadependsn
controlled By its owa forsnsn. su'
occupied BY ice own cIass- Q
employees, mes, boys OF girls. To on
passing through these depsrtmeots, NJ
doubI longer remains az 10 the immense ez
tent Of the business. Every person IN III
sstAblishmsAt, from the partners to ID
Youngest employs, 10 constantly busy. Wiz
a a 4 "A A..
able system With which affairs are manages
the most constant industry ard activity AZ
required TO meet the demands Of the trad
aud tns dspartmsp's are like the hives {
busy bees, where idlspess or an oPPortOnis
for idlsnsss 10 hardly known.
rHE PRINTIS0 DEPARTMENT.
Az We enter the printing department an
observe the long line VI presses on Que I'D
Of the room busy adding to the millions
impressions required annually, aud seor
of girls counting and packing away 81
same, aud In another part of the roo
noticed man banly engaged cuttIn
paper with . pouderous machine, We almo
imagined ourselves 10 q printing aud pu
fishing house, instead Of . seed store. II
foreman OF this department informed
that during the busy season = duplicate 8
Of hands are em ployed aud that the press
are kept running day and night IN order
meet she rsqIissmsnIs OF the immens
trade.
Their paper is mostly manufactured 4
thsn, - they require definite color and siz,
aud, further, save the dealers profit b
purchasing Of the manufacturers. This rul
they strictly follow throughout their eEtr
business. disoArdiag middle men, and pul
ohAsing directly of producers. The pAps
they uss annually is large item, and the
seldom order less than 10 tons OF the Leaf
ing lines NJ once. Often three times tbI
quantity 10 being made for them ct OIL
lime.
THE FLowsR SEED DEPARTMENT
deserves especial attention. As this IL q
age Of culture aud rs6aemsnta the ten,
ency u 10 admire the bssutiful 10 vhAtsv'
form II may be found and but few form
of beauty have more dsvotees, especial
among the ladies, than choice lo~er
Msssrs. Ferry a Co., are alive to this "a
and are supplying the demand. The
selections embrace the choicest the vor
affords. They supply themselves main
from the most celebrated florists OF Europ
aud where tso qualities Of the same variet
Of seed are offered they Invariably take Il
beat at whatever coat. They showed l
some CHOICE varieties from Prussia, vhic
coat here, including duties. ut the rate
over $4,000 per pound. They have Abor
1000 vArIst'es, inciu log all new ooes
knovn merit. 10 addition TO the Lara
quauliiy Of flower seed whioh they send OF
By mail, they pat up complete assortment
in elegant black walnut boxes for me
chants; thus 10 nearly every town ihroUEl
out tbs country where their trade extend
these choics seeds, bearing the i'm print
ID. NJ Ferry 4 Co., osn be be found, enah
Ing lovers Of flowers to supply themselves
thsir own doors.