The expedition of Alexander the Great into India contributed to make the Greeks better acquainted than before with cotton. Hence it is distinctly mentioned by Theophrastus, the disciple of Aristotle. He says, “The trees, from which the Indians make cloths, have a leaf like that of the Black Mulberry; but the whole plant resembles the dog-rose. They set them in the plains arranged in rows, so as to look like vines at a distance[413].” In a succeeding part of the same book (_c._ 7. _p._ 143, 144. _ed. Schneider_) he notices the growth of cotton, not only in India, but in _Arabia_, and in the island called Tylos, which he places in the Arabian Gulf, although it was probably in the Persian Gulf, near the Arabian coast[414]. According to his account in the latter passage, “The wool-bearing trees, which grew abundantly in this island, had a leaf like that of the vine, but smaller; they bore no fruit, but the capsule containing the wool, was, when closed, about the size of a quince, when ripe, it expanded so as to emit the wool, which was woven into cloths, either cheap, or of great value.” [413] Hist. Pl. iv. c. 4. p. 132. ed. Schneider. [414] See the Map,--Plate vii. at the end of Part iv. Bochart, Geogr. Sacra, p. 766. Cadomi, 1651. Heeren, Ideen, i. 2. p. 214-219. Sprengel in his German translation (_p._ 150. _vol._ ii.) supposes the Broussonetia Papyrifera to be meant in the former passage. But he gives no good reason for this supposition, and he admits, that the Broussonetia Papyrifera grows in China, not in India. The expression of Theophrastus, ὥσπερ ἐλέχθη, which he employs in the latter passage (_c._ 9. _p._ 144. _ed. Schneider_), clearly proves, that he is speaking of the same plant in both passages, and Sprengel himself (_p._ 164.) supposes the Gossypium Arboreum of Linnæus, the Cotton Tree, to be meant in the latter, though not in the former. The description of Theophrastus is remarkably exact, if we consider it as applying, not to the Cotton Tree (_Gossypium Arboreum_), but to the Cotton Plant (_G. Herbaceum_), from which the chief supply of cotton for spinning and weaving into cloth has always been obtained. Aristobulus, one of Alexander’s generals, made mention of the cotton-plant under the name of the Wool-bearing Tree, and stated that its capsule contained seeds, which were taken out, and that what remained was combed like wool[415]. [415] Strabo, L. xv. c. 1. vol. vi. p. 43. ed. Siebenkees.