author
F. S. (Franklin Sumner) Earle
1856–1929
A pioneering American mycologist, he helped shape the study of fungi and plant diseases at a time when both fields were still taking form. His work ranged from mushroom classification to major agricultural problems in the Caribbean, giving his writing both scientific depth and practical purpose.
1 Audiobook
Fig Culture Edible Figs: Their Culture and Curing. Fig Culture in the Gulf States.
by Gustavus A. Eisen, F. S. (Franklin Sumner) Earle
About the author
Born in Illinois in 1856, Franklin Sumner Earle became an American botanist and mycologist known for his work on fungi and plant disease. He was the first mycologist employed by the New York Botanical Garden, and he wrote The Genera of North American Gill Fungi, a notable contribution to mushroom study.
Earle's career also reached beyond taxonomy. He worked extensively on agricultural problems, especially fungal diseases and the cultivation of sugar cane, and spent important parts of his professional life in Puerto Rico and Cuba. That mix of fieldwork and research made him a useful bridge between pure science and everyday farming.
He died in Cuba in 1929. Today he is remembered as an early specialist whose work helped build modern plant pathology and mycology in the United States and the Caribbean.