PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 9 



ing and distributing the botanical collections accumulated 

 by the East India Company and to induce him in 1858 to 

 become an assistant in the Herbarium at Kew. On settling 

 there, Oliver instituted in 1859 a course of lectures on 

 Botany, which he continued to conduct until 1874, for the 

 benefit of the young gardeners. He proved so excellent a 

 teacher that in 1861 he was appointed to the Botanical 

 Ohair which had been occupied by Lindley at University 

 College, London, wbich he retained until 1888. He held 

 for twenty-six years the Keepership at Kew until he retired 

 from public service in 1890. After his retirement he 

 succeeded Sir Joseph Hooker as editor, on behalf of the 

 Bentham Trustees, of the Icones Plantarum. This duty 

 he fulfilled for five years, so that his connection with the 

 institution where he worked so long, and for which he did 

 so much, was not finally severed until 1895. In 1884 the 

 Royal Society, of which he had been a Fellow since 1863, 

 recommended him as the recipient of a Royal medal. In 

 1891 the University of Aberdeen conferred on him the 

 degree of LL.D. In 1893 the Linnean Society awarded 

 him its gold medal, and a number of friends arranged 

 for the painting of his portrait by Mr. J. Wilson Poster 

 for presentation to the Herbarium at Kew. On his 

 attaining his eightieth birthday in 1910, old colleagues 

 united with the existing Herbarium staff in offering him an 

 address of congratulation. He was elected an Honorary 

 Member of our Society in 1905, and died on 21st December, 

 1916, in his eighty-seventh year. 



I have also to record the death of W. H. Webb, for thirty- 

 six years a faithful officer of the Society; he was Assistant 

 Secretary for many years, and when, in consequence of 

 failing health, he had to relinquish that office, he was 

 appointed Assistant Librarian, and continued as such 

 until the date of his death, 29th August, 1916. 



