THE WATER-NUT. r | 
waters have left the whole surface of the country 
in the condition of a most prolific seed-bed. The 
Egyptian comes and casts his seed-corn upon the 
rich compost thus provided for him by the won- 
derful river; soon, fortified by the warm air and 
all-day-shining sun, the young plant appears; and 
but a little while need elapse before we behold 
the valley standing thick with corn. 
Let us turn from hence to the still waters of the 
Imperial Canal in China. Here, at morning-time, 
the whole surface of the water appears covered 
with a dense carpet of green. ‘This effect is 
produced by the leaves of the water-nut (Zrapa 
bicornis), the seeds of which were some time 
since committed to the waves by the Chinese 
cultivators. As the sun rises high the fair white 
flowers open, and the floating carpet now be- 
comes white, interspersed here and there with 
the tulip-shaped, lovely pink blossoms of the 
lotus flower. After a few months the nut is ripe, 
and supplies millions of human beings with 
sustenance. Here wasa plant born in the waves! 
Look now at yonder broad Indian plain cover- 
ed with water. See that pair of bullocks drag- 
ing a rude plough behind them, whose share 
