Sir George King (12 April 1840 – 12 February 1909) was a Scottish-born British botanist who was appointed superintendent of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta in 1871, and became the first Director of the Botanical Survey of India from 1890. He was recognised for his work in the cultivation of cinchona and for setting up a system for the inexpensive distribution of the anti-malarial quinine throughout India through the postal system.
Early life
King was born in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, to Robert King and Cecilia Anderson. Robert King was a bookseller who moved to Aberdeen to partner with his brothers who were also in the book business. One brother, Arthur, was the founder of the Aberdeen University Press. Another brother, George, was an antiquarian, founder of a local liberal newspaper and a prominent writer on economic and social matters. King's parents both died from phthisis (tuberculosis), his father in November 1845 aged thirty six and his mother in 1850 at the age of forty. Orphaned at the age of ten, King was taken care of by his namesake uncle. He studied at the Aberdeen Grammar School, where he was nicknamed "Tertius" to distinguish him from other "King" namesakes, a name that stuck. One of his teachers was Patrick Geddes. Although a good student, his health was poor and he was forced to leave in 1854. The family was associated with the Free Church, but King later favoured the Anglican church. For a while he worked in his uncle's press business, but he continued to take a greater interest in natural history, an interest that had developed in his youth. He started putting together a collection in his workplace, something his printer uncle despised. At the age of eighteen King decided to pursue a medical education and entered the University of Aberdeen in 1861, where he was influenced by his teachers George Dickie, Alexander Harvey and John Struthers.
In 1862 King became an assistant to Alexander Dickson. This led to an interest in cryptogamic botany and he was advised by Sir William Hooker to follow the path of Hooker's son J.D. Hooker and join the Naval Medical Service. King however was interested in India upon reading Royle and Hooker's works. The Indian Medical Service had suspended recruitment from 1860, but recruitment restarted in April 1865. King obtained an M.B. in 1865 and joined the Indian Medical Service on 2 October, carrying with him an ipecacuanha plant from Hooker. He left for India in March and reached Calcutta on 11 April 1866.
India
King was initially appointed to the General Hospital before transferring to the Medical College Hospital where he was made house surgeon. He fell ill with pneumonia, and it was suggested that he transfer to a drier climate. He was posted to Agra on 4 September and was attached to the 41st Bengal Infantry. He moved to Mathura in January 1867. Bouts of illness continued, and it was suggested that he should move to central India. He was posted to Guna in February 1867, taking charge of the Central India Horse. The next year he moved to Rajputana with stints at Deoli, Mount Abu and Jodhpur before moving to the Botanic Garden at Saharanpur. At the end of 1869, as his term was ending at Saharanpur, he was invited to join the Forest Department as an Assistant Conservator.
In his postings in India, he worked during his leisure time on its plants, making a study of the famine plants. He also made an ornithological survey of Guna. The posting in Dehra Dun gave him more time for study. King found that the forests of the Doon were being destroyed with a system of bribery and corruption within the Forest Department. King worked to eliminate the corrupt officials. In January 1871 King moved to the Kumaon Forest Division and prepared a report on the forests of Ranikhet. He also contributed to the botanical sections of the Gazetteers. It was recommend that he be made a permanent Deputy Conservator.