Dr. George M. Hocking was an authority on medicinal plants. He obtained his bachelor of science in pharmacy from the University of Washington, Seattle and his master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees from the University of Florida.

Dr. Hocking served as Chief Pharmacognosist with Messrs. S. B. Penick & Company of New York (a major dealer in crude drugs) for four years. He was a member of the Committee on National Formulary and chairman, Subcommittee on Pharmacognosy, 1947-60 (concerned with revision of the text of the N.F. IX and X). He taught pharmacognosy (and pharmacology) at the George Washington University College of Pharmacy, University of Buffalo College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, and Auburn University.

He was perhaps best known for his comprehensive text first published in 1955, A Dictionary of Terms in Pharmacognosy, a dictionary relating to plant, animal, and mineral drug materials. Dr. Hocking died in February, 2001. This fund will be used to purchase floristic texts and related library material to enhance the Hocking Collection held by the Libraries.