068 FOREST CULTURE AND 
its, properties, and modes of propagation of plants, 
and enumerates, to a certain extent, the species con- 
sidered utilitarian at that remote time. Many of 
these results must have been obtained in Theophras- 
tos’ garden. Two other disciples of Aristoteles, 
Phamias Eresios and Dikaarchos of Messene, and a 
third, whose name remained unknown, have handed 
over to us by their writings the views entertained by 
their teacher and themselves on the nature and prop- 
erties of plants, as recognized in those distant days ; 
but we have no record of their possessing special sci- 
entific gardens. 
From the time when the political preponderance of 
Athens was sinking dates also the decay of learning, 
once eminent among her citizens. Instead of Athens, 
for a considerable time Alexandria became the seat of 
sciences and arts, carried thither principally by Greek 
emigrants ; and mental culture flourished there under 
the protection of Ptolemaian Kings of Egypt, amid 
the horrors and cruelties of that age. Under the 
wise reign of Ptolemeeus Philadelphus (285-247 be- 
fore Christ) the Museum and Library were founded, 
the latter then already containing 400,000 rolls. But 
although Alexandria shone like a sun in the constel- 
lation of lesser stars, in regard to learning and civili- 
zation, yet wherever Hellenes became scattered they 
carried with them their love of science; and it was 
especially the flourishing town of Pergamos, on the - 
Black Sea, which distinguished itself by scientific 
eminence in that early period. Besides an extensive 
library, King Attalus Philometer (died 133 years be- 
fore Christ) established a garden for poison plants and 
their antidotes, and for the same purpose a garden 
