Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-03-10
J a m e S V ic k.
By Prof. A. A. Hopkins, in sketches of Rep
resentatiyc Men"

By Prof. A 4. Hopkins, in Sketches of Rep
resentatiyc Men"
JAMES EICK was born in the suburb:
of Portsmouth, England, November %
1918, almost within sight of the house
where Charles Dickens first saw the
light, and both were baptised in the
same old Kingston Parish church. Hi:
father, although mechanic, was a skill
full amateur gardener, and to this, per
haps, We may, in some manner at least
attribute the passion he has always ex,
hibited for everything connected will
horticultural pursuits. In 1888, whef
about fifteen years of age, he came t6
this country with his fathers family
Having a taste for literature, he was
anxious to learn the printers trade, and
for 3 years he applied himself most In
dustriously in acquiring acknowledge OF
the art in the City of New York, and
commenced setting type by the side OF
Horace Greeley, while the great editor
was journeyman printer, and just be
fore he commenced the publication OF
the New Yorker, his first venture. AT
the end of this time he removed to Ro-
chester, n. Y, and engaged as compos,
itor in various offices, but was naturally
drawn toward the office of the Genesce
Farmer. published by the venerabie
agricultural publisher, Luther Tucker.
At this time he secured a little city
garden, cultivated flowers, and wrote OF
their beauty and habits. And so he be-
came horticulturist. In time the Cen
esee Farmer passed out of Mir, fuckers
hands, and Mr. Wick assumed its publ
cation, though having no part in its
ownership. Heiproved himself success
full publisher, pushing the Farmers cir
culation to an extent quite unprecedent-
ed
When Andrew J. Downing met his
sad death on board the ill-fated "Swal-
low," the Horticulturist, which he had
so ably conducted, passed into other
hands, and was purchased by Mr.. Wick,
and transferred from New York to Ro-
chester, with Patrick Barry as its edi-
tor. Mr.. Wick published it three or four
years, only giving it up at length to de-
vote his whole time to the business OF
seed-growing, to which he had mean
while given much attention. His natu-
raj inclination being divided between
literary pursuits and flowers, he could
not keep wholly out of journalism how
ever, and in January, 1851, he began ed
iting the horticultural department OF
Moore's Rural New Yorker, continuing
to give a portion of his time 10 this
pleasant duty until 1862, when his seed
business demanded his sole attention.
In the years intervening Mr. Wick has
increased his business to an extent SIM
ply surprising Lovers of flowers all
over the country recognize his name at
once as that of friend. James Wick,
florist and seedsman-who has not heard
of him? There are few men more wide
ly known than he; few more pleasantly
His Floral Guides" over half a million
of which are annually printed, have car
ried his name into nearly every hamlet
in the land. This Guide" replete with
most valuable information on the sub
iect of seeds and flowers, and pleasant as
story book, and beautiful as speci-
men of Typography, is highly apprecia-
ted by the many thousands it reaches
Besides this Mr.. Wick issues beautiful
chrome flower pieces, which can be found
in American homes from Maine to Ore
gon. Taste, beauty, and system prevail
in all his productions, and throughout
his establishment. In the store, the of,
flee, packing rooms, and everywhere, in
Guiding about seventy-fye young ladies
engaged in putting up seeds, eve ything
is in place, and pleasing to look upon.
About one hundred and twenty-five c
persons are here employed in the busy
season; the number of letters received
in day often reaches two thousand, and
the number of packages daily sent out
averages about as many. To properly
send out these, one million paper boxes
are required-all manufactured in the
establishment, and an endless amount Of
labels and the like, which are also pre-
pared there. The years postage sum:
up over $4,000. Mr.. Wick has his OWL
printing Office and bindery, and some o.
the best machinery in the country foI
facilitating the work is to be found here
some of which originated in the estab
lishment, and will become valuable t,
the community when more fully testet
and better known.
The control of concern so vast de
mauds great executive ability, and MI