Mr John Sadler. 13 



the post until 1879, when the same causes wiiich re(juireil 

 his resignation of his official connection with this Society 

 compelled a like course being taken with regard to it. His 

 services were handsomely recognised by a presentation 

 from the Society, and he was elected a Vice-President. It 

 is not too much to say of his relation to the Scottish 

 Arboricultural Society, that hut for him it would have 

 ceased to exist. I remember well his description of an 

 annual meeting in tlie early sixties, when he and two 

 others (Mr M'Corquodale of Scone and Mr John Anderson 

 of Perth) were the only members present, and it was a 

 question whether the Society sliould be carried on or not ; 

 but, with his usual energy, the difficulties of the case were 

 faced, and the result is tlie flourishing Society of the 

 present date. 



With several other societies Sadler became associated. 

 He was for long a Councillor of the Eoyal Caledonitm 

 Horticultural Society, which in 1869 awarded him the 

 Neill Prize for eminence as a Scottish botanist. He was 

 an old member of the Koyal Physical Society', of the 

 Berwickshire Naturalists' Field Club, and other like 

 societies. 



Sadler's intimate connection with the teaching of botany 

 in the University of Edinburgh produced in him the desire 

 to do something in this line on his own account, and not 

 long after his coming to Edinburgh we find him giving 

 popular lectures on botany in many towns through Scot- 

 land. In this sphere he excelled. His lively imagination 

 clothed details in an attractive garb, and the apt illustra- 

 tion and appropriate quotation with which he enlivened his 

 discourse, interested and delighted many an audience. 

 When in 1867 the teaching of botany was introduced in 

 tlie Royal High School, John Sadler was appointed lecturer, 

 and he continued to lecture there until 1879. 



On the death of Mr M'Nab in 1878, John Sadler was 

 appointed to succeed him as Curator of the Royal Botanic 

 Garden, It was remarked at the time that the work of 

 this position was out of his line ; but his career amply 

 justified his appointment, and the energy with which he 

 carried on the work of the garden, and the success which 

 attended iiis efforts, are recent history, and in the minds of 



