Noy. 1906. ] THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 209 
natural lie of the ground around an old quarry offered great 
scope for gardening, Mr. Neill Fraser brought together a 
large assemblage of hardy ferns, of alpine and herbaceous 
plants, and under glass a fine collection of filmy ferns; and 
in recent years the improvement of the polyanthus received 
special attention from him, and he raised some good 
forms. 
Mr. Neill Fraser’s work with plants was carried on in the 
leisure of business in which his capacity for detail, his care 
and method, demanded success. For many years (1857-1891) 
his business talent was placed freely at the service of this 
Society in his position as Honorary Treasurer, and he served 
the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society in like manner 
for an equally long period. 
Quiet in manner, he was always ready to help those 
with kindred taste who applied to him in the subject of 
which he was a master. His retiring character made him 
shrink from prominent public duties, and prompted, no doubt, 
his refusal of the Presidency of this Society. His death in 
an early month of the year removed a link with the older 
generations through whose enthusiasm this Society was 
founded. 
ROBERT JAMES HunTER.— The late Mr. Robert James 
Hunter was a native of Edinburgh, the third son of the 
late Mr. James Hunter, Managing Partner of Messrs. Tullis 
and Co., Paper Merchants. In this house, and afterwards 
in London, Mr. RK. J. Hunter received his commercial 
training, and in 1890 was appointed Managing Director of 
Tullis & Co., Ltd. This position he held for fourteen years, 
until his death in December of last year. In spite of the 
heavy demand made by his business on his thought and 
energy, Mr. Hunter found time for other interests. He 
was a man of fine taste and high culture. He was widely 
read in the best literature, had travelled extensively, and 
was creatly interested in practical mechanics and in science, 
particularly botany and geology. As a Director of the Edin- 
burgh Chamber of Commerce he did good service to that 
body, and also took an active part in promoting various phil- 
anthropie agencies. Mr. Hunter died very suddenly on the 
12th December 1904. His widow survives him. [A notice, 
