232 In Memoriam: Mark King. [Sess. 
the Society, the members were *startled by the announcement ~ 
that the writer of it had died suddenly, on the 9th of May. His 
tall, straight figure, and striking individuality, are still fresh in 
our memories, and we can hardly yet realise that he has gone 
from our midst. 
Mark King was born at Lilliesleaf, Roxburghshire, on De- 
cember 28,1828. He was the eldest of five sons, all of whom 
left their rural home early in life—as is still the custom with 
village youths, often to be afterwards widely scattered. Two 
of these brothers are now in positions of influence in Van- 
couver, British Columbia, while a third is pushing his fortunes 
in South Africa. Mark chose the occupation of a gardener, no 
doubt from his love of flowers, and served his apprenticeship 
in the Earl of Minto’s gardens at Minto House, Hawick. On 
leaving this place as a young journeyman, he proceeded to 
Yorkshire, where two or three years were passed ; and he then 
returned to Scotland, spending some time at Stanwell Nur- 
series, Leith, under his lifelong friend Mr Hugh Fraser, now an 
honorary member of this Society. Having a great desire to 
learn something of chemistry, Mr King seized the opportunity 
of becoming an assistant in the chemical works of the late 
Anthony Laird, at Magdalene Bridge, Musselburgh. This, how- 
ever, cut him off too much from his botanical studies, and it 
was soon given up. In 1865 he became gardener to the late 
William Kinghorn, Esq., of The Grove, Bonnington, Leith, in — 
whose service, and that of his successor, he remained until — 
he retired on a pension a few years ago. Here much of his — 
leisure was devoted to the pursuit of field botany, and many ~ 
miles were often walked on a Saturday afternoon to collect 
some botanical rarities, which would be planted in a special 
part of his garden, to be tenderly watched and cared for. One 
of his favourite hobbies was the observation of “ weeds ” which ~ 
had found their way into gardens, fields, or nurseries from — 
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foreign countries, or to the ballast- heaps of our shores. — 
With these he had an intimate and wide acquaintance. On 
two different occasions during the past session he exhibited to — 
the Society wild-flowers gathered on the South African veldt. 
These were collected by his youngest brother, Robert, during 
hours of enforced waiting with the hospital train, of which he- 
was the engine-driver, and sent on to the plant - loving 
