He was educated at Merchistoun Castle School, Edinburgh, under his famous uncle Charles Chalmers.
He then attended university lectures, took the first prize for mathematics, and was a student in David Low's agricultural classes.
[1][2] In 1838 Morton went to assist his father on the Whitfield Example Farm, and shortly joined the newly formed Royal Agricultural Society.
[1] When David Low retired in 1854 from his chair at Edinburgh, Morton ran the classes till the appointment of John Wilson.
He was inspector under the land commissioners, and also served for six years (1868–74) with Edward Frankland and Sir William Denison on the Royal Commission on pollution of rivers.