174 



HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE. 



Part I. 



and the country furnishes a variety of medicinal plants, as carthamus, tinctorius {fig. 170.), senna, 

 coloquintida, &c., and that curious rooted plant the mandrake {fig. 171.) , ^^ 

 must at least be a native of the island of Canaan. * *^ 



1058. The live-stock of Egyptian agriculture is princi- 

 pally the ox, the buffalo, the horse, ass, mule, and camel. 

 The oxen of Egypt are employed in tillage, and in giving 

 motion to a variety of hydraulic machines ; and as they are 

 harnessed so as to draw from the pitch of the shoulder, their 

 withers are higher than those of our country ; and, indeed, 

 they have naturally some resemblance to the bison {Bosferus)y 

 or hunched ox. It has been said that the cows of Egypt 

 bring forth two calves at a time ; an instance of fecundity 

 which sometimes happens; but is not reckoned very com- 

 mon. Their calves are reared to maturity, as veal, which is 

 forbidden by the law of the Mahometans, and the Copts 

 also abstain from the use of it, is not eaten in Egypt. 



1059. The buffalo is more abundant than the ox, and is 

 equally domestic. It is easily distinguishable by the con- 

 stantly uniform colour of the hair, and still more by a remnant 

 of ferocity and intractability of disposition, and a wild lower- 

 ing aspect, the characteristics of all haif-tamed 

 animals. The females are reared for the sake of 

 the milk, and the males to be slaughtered and 

 eaten. The flesh is somewhat red, hard, and dry ; 

 and has also a musky smell, which is rather un- 

 pleasant. 



1060. The horses of Egypt rank next to those 

 of the Arabians, and are remarkable for their 

 valuable (jualities. Here, as in most countries of 

 the East, they are not castrated either for domestic 

 use or the cavalry. 



1061 . The nsses of Egypt have no less a claim to 

 distinction than the horses ; and these, as well as 

 those of Arabia, are esteemed for their vigor and 

 beauty the finest in the world. They are some- 

 times sold for a higher price than even the horses. 

 They are more hardy than horses, less difficult as 

 to the quality and quantity of their food, and 

 are therefore preferred in traversing the deserts. 

 The handsomest asses seen at Cairo are brought 

 from Upper Egypt and Nubia. On ascending 

 the Nile, the influence of climate is perceptible 

 in these animals, which are most beautiful irt 

 the Said, but are in every respect inferior towards 

 the Delta. With the most distinguished race 

 of horses and asses, Egypt possesses also the finest 

 mules; some of which, at Cairo, exceed in value 

 the price of the most beautiful horses. 



1062. The camel and dromedary, as every body knows, are the beasts of burden in 

 Egypt, and not only answer all the purposes of our waggons and public conveyances, 

 but bear the conveyances of luxury {Jig. 172.), in which the females of the higher classes 

 pay their visits on extraordinary occasions. 



