Juli- 1, 1867.] 



HAUDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



159 



D. arcticum, Schpr. Monoicous, crcspitosc, without 

 tomentum, 2 to 5 inches high, simple or dicho- 

 tomous (fig;. 168), leaves erccto-patent, rarely subse- 

 cuud, nearly straight, the lowest minute, lanceolate, 

 nerveless, upper from an oblong; base, lanceolate- 

 subulate, quite entire, very concave, the margin 

 incurved so as to form a channelled subula (fig. 162). 

 Alar cells orange-brown, quadrate, nerve narrow, 

 compressed (fig. 170). Capsule (fig. 171) cernuous, 



-• 





Fig. 170. Base ofleaf magnified. Fig. 1/1. Capsule. 



subarcuate, strumose, not striate. Anuulus simple. 

 Lid rostrate. Teeth purple, cleft to middle. The 

 localities on the tickets are Cairn-Taggart, and 

 Loch-na-Neem, and the species will rank next to 

 Dicranum Starkii. — B. Braitlncaite, M.D., F.L.S. 



NILE MUD. 



THE mud brought down by the Nile in such 

 immense quantities at the period of the 

 inundation (for at other times the water is almost 

 pure) is in part distributed over the level land, 

 thereby enriching the soil ; a part is deposited iu the 

 beds of the river and canals, and a large quantity is 

 carried into the sea. When the Nile is on the rise, 

 the water gradually becomes turbid, and finally 

 assumes a reddish hue. This is of course owing to 

 the large quantity of sand and clay which it brings 

 with it in its rapid course from the upper countries. 

 The mud which is deposited iu the bed of the river, 

 when exposed to the sun and dried, immediately 

 turns into sand ; even by watering occasionallyit will 

 not assume the nature of that which has been 

 deposited on the land. The reason is simple. The 

 Nile washes over granite rocks, and carries away 

 particles from them, such as mica, felspar, and 

 hornblende ; even quartz, although the heaviest, is 

 borne along by the impetuous force of the stream. 

 The lighter substances, mica and felspar, the latter 

 of which is dissolved, together with clay, 'are carried 

 over the fields, and form that rich black soil of 

 which the Delta for the most part is composed. 

 The heavier particles are deposited in the bed of the 



river, and form a very fine sand. It has been pro- 

 posed, as a matter of speculation, to utilize the sand 

 (which is improperly called Nile mud) by sending 

 shiploads of it to Europe for the purpose of 

 manuring the land, as they do with guano. This 

 would be a great mistake. It contains very few 

 manuring properties, being really nothing but sand. 

 It would be a good thing for Egypt if it could be 

 got rid of, because it chokes up the river and the 

 canals. The Arab cultivators never make use of it 

 as manure, although they make use of pigeons' 

 dung and decayed vegetable matter. On the con- 

 trary, when the soil is too rich, they mix this river 

 sand with it. The houses, or rather huts, of the 

 poor Arabs are constructed of mud bricks dried in 

 the sun, but they do not use the mud of the river, as 

 bricks made of it would crumble to pieces imme- 

 diately on being dried, even when mixed with straw. 

 Eor this purpose they use the stiff soil of the fields. 

 This applies also to burnt bricks. Should any 

 European, therefore, be so foolish as to engage in 

 such a wild speculation as that referred to above, he 

 would find that he has had his pains for nothing, 

 for his mud will turn into sand, and be good only 

 perhaps for mixing with lime to make mortar. 

 Even for this purpose the Arabs of the villages con- 

 sider it worthless. There is little doubt, however, 

 that a cargo of the rich, black, alluvial soil which 

 is to be found on the sides of the embankments along 

 the Nile and the large canals would be very valu- 

 able. This soil close to the embankments is in 

 many places from 20 to 30 feet deep. The large 

 canals are cleared out about every third year. From 

 20,000 to 30,000 Fellahs are impressed by the 

 Government for this work on each canal. This 

 operation of course takes place when the Nile is at 

 its lowest. The embankments are also repaired or 

 strengthened throughout about once in every three 

 years. This strengthening merely consists in making 

 the embankments higher with earth. It has been said 

 aud with truth, that the beds of the Nile and the 

 cauals are rising higher every year. But the em- 

 bankments are raised in proportion, and it is pro- 

 bable that the whole of the Delta is becoming 

 gradually more elevated. There is therefore no fear 

 that the Nile will lose its bed and be directed into 

 some other channel. During a great part of the 

 year the country suffers much from the want of 

 water, and there is no doubt that if the irrigation 

 of the lands was managed properly, the country 

 would produce at least three times as much as it 

 does. The waters subside very fast, and the poor 

 Fellahs have not always the means of raising it up 

 the steep embankments. Many Europeans have 

 proposed to erect steam pumps in the interior for 

 the purpose of supplying the cultivators with water 

 for their crops at a cheap rate. The Fellahs would 

 be very glad to adopt the proposition, but the 

 Viceroy will not allow it, as he says it would inter- 



