INTRODUCTION 



he has for the last few years been ably assisted by his sons, 

 Mr. J. G. Veitch and Mr. H. J. Veitch, who were admitted to 

 partnership in 1865, and by whom the business will now be 

 continued. 



" We should not omit to state that Mr. Veitch was one of 

 the best and most hard-working friends of the Gardeners' 

 Royal Benevolent Institution, of which he was also a trustee. 



"For several years from 1856 to 1864 Mr. Veitch was a 

 member of the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society, and 

 took a very active part in the administration of its affairs. 



" At his own hospitable board the interests of horticulture 

 were often the subjects of a very free commentary ; and 

 many schemes which had been discussed or concocted there, 

 were in due time realized. In particular it may be stated 

 that the idea of the Fruit and Floral Committees of the 

 Royal Horticultural Society had its origin in a happy thought 

 of Mr. Veitch's, which was first broached and talked over, 

 even into the small hours, in the parlour at the Royal Exotic 

 Nursery, and at a subsequent gathering of a few kindred 

 spirits was so thoroughly discussed as to smooth away the 

 difficulties which at first seemed to stand in the way of its 

 being realized. On the basis thus obtained a scheme was 

 drawn out, virtually that adopted by the Council, which has 

 not only worked well, but proved the horticultural mainstay 

 of the Society. In Mr. Veitch's parlour, too, the particular 

 mode in which the Great International Show of 1866 should 

 be presented to the public was agreed to, and action taken 

 thereupon. There had at that period sprung up amongst a 

 small section of horticulturists a most unaccountable feeling 

 antagonistic to the gentleman who afterwards so efficiently 

 filled the office of chairman, and whose loss we have since 

 had to deplore ; and this feeling was battled with and over- 



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