Polycrystalline nickel wires with an average length of 10 mum and diameter of about 200 nm were prepared at 70 degreesC by a hydrothermal process with a 0.25 T magnetic field applied. Studies show that the magnetic field induced one-dimensional assembly of acicular Ni nanocrystallites with dimensions of 200 nm in length and 10-30 nm in diameter, leading to the formation of the polycrystalline nickel wires. Magnetic measurements show saturation magnetization (Ms) of the sample prepared in a 0.25 T external magnetic field is higher than that of the sample synthesized without an external magnetic field applied. It is suggested that the one-dimensional self-assembly of acicular nickel nanocrystallites with their magnetic easy axes [111] aligned along the magnetic line of force results in the improvement of the magnetic properties.