 James junior was an industrious and astute businessman, a skilled horticulturist, and from 1856 to 1864, an active member of the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society.Among other contributions, he instigated the formation of the RHS Fruit and Floral Committees; and the Veitch Memorial Medal was founded in his honour.Under his guidance, the Royal Exotic Nursery became the largest of its kind in Europe, due mostly to his division of the nursery into 11 sections