Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Veitch, James Herbert
VEITCH, JAMES HERBERT (1868–1907), horticulturist, born at Chelsea on 1 May 1868, was elder son (by his wife Jane Hodge) of John Gould Veitch, the senior member of a family distinguished as nurserymen for a century. James Herbert's great-great-grandfather, John Veitch (1752–1839), came from Jedburgh to be land-steward to Sir Thomas Acland, and held nursery-ground at Killerton, near Exeter, in 1808. John Veitch's son James (1772–1863), James Herbert Veitch's great-grandfather, founded the Exeter nursery in 1832, employed the celebrated plant-collectors William and Thomas Lobb as gardeners there, and, in conjunction with his sons, purchased, in 1853, the business of Messrs. Knight and Perry at Chelsea. In 1864 the two gardens were separated, that at Chelsea being carried on by James Herbert's grandfather, James Veitch (1815–1869), and that at Exeter by the latter's younger brother Robert. In 1865 James Veitch took into partnership at Chelsea his sons, John Gould Veitch (1839–1870), James Herbert's father, and Harry James Veitch, James Herbert's uncle.
Veitch was educated at Crawford College, Maidenhead, and in technical subjects in Germany and France, beginning work at the Chelsea nursery in 1885. He was elected fellow of the Linnean Society in 1889 and was also fellow of the Horticultural Society. From 1891 to 1893 he made a tour round the world, going by way of Rome and Naples to Ceylon, thence overland from Cape Tuticorin to Lahore, thence to Calcutta, the Straits Settlements, Buitenzorg, Japan, Corea, Australia and New Zealand. Among the results of his journey was the introduction of the large winter-cherry, Physalis Francheti. A series of letters on the gardens visited during the journey was printed in the 'Gardener's Chronicle' (March 1892-Dec. 1894), and privately printed collectively as 'A Traveller's Notes' in 1896.
In 1898 the firm of James Veitch & Sons was formed into a limited company, of which Veitch became managing director. One of the first steps taken by the company, in accordance with the firm's earlier practice, was to send out Mr. E. H. Wilson to China and Tibet to collect plants. In 1906 Veitch prepared for private distribution, under the title of 'Hortus Veitchii,' a sumptuous history of the firm and its collectors, illustrated with portraits. The botanical nomenclature was revised by George Nicholson [q. v. Suppl. II]. Shortly afterwards Veitch retired from business, owing to failing health, his uncle, Mr. Harry James Veitch, resuming work in his place. He died of paralysis at Exeter on 13 Nov. 1907, and was buried there. Veitch married in 1898 Lucy Elizabeth Wood, who survived him without issue.
[Hortus Veitchii, pp. 89–91; Athenæum, 20 Nov. 1907; Proc. Linnean Soc. 1907–8, pp. 65–6; information supplied by the family.]