THEOPHRASTIAN PERIOD 15 



made by the Greeks during this period are to be found in 

 the writings of their great philosophers, Aristotle and 

 Theophrastus. According to E. L. Greene (1909 : 49) 

 the first plant pathologist was a Greek, one Cleidemus, a 

 rhizotimos whose observations on the diseases of the 

 fig, the olive, and the vine are quoted by Aristotle. 



Theophrastus of Eresus was the first great botanist 

 of whom we have authentic records. He lived at about 

 the same time as Aristotle (370-286 B. C), whose pupil 

 he was, and to whom the great philosopher, dying, 

 bequeathed his library and botanical garden at Athens. 

 Theophrastus is generally regarded as the Father of 

 Botany. Chapter II in Greene's "Landmarks in Botan- 

 ical History" (1909) gives a very clear picture of the life 

 and works of this greatest of all ancient botanists. His 

 works abound with references to plant diseases. Some 

 excerpts from his Historia Plantarum^ will indicate the 

 breadth of his knowledge and the accuracy of his ob- 

 servations : 



"As to diseases — they say that wild trees are not liable 

 to diseases which destroy them. Cultivated kinds, 

 however, are subject to various diseases, some of which 

 are, one may say, common to all or to most, while others 

 are special to particular kinds. General diseases are 

 those of being worm-eaten, of being sun-scorched, and 

 rot." 



"The olive, in addition to having worms (which destroy 

 the fig too by breeding in it), produces also a 'knot' 



' Hort, Sir .Arthur: Theophrastus' enquiry into plants; and minor 

 works on odors and weather signs, with an English translation, 1 : 1- 

 XXVIII + 1^75; 2 : 1-IX -|- 1-499. 1916. (Greek and English text 

 on opposite pages.) See especially 1 : 391-413; 2 : 201-209. 



