ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 

BULLETIN 
OF 
MISCELLANEOUS. INFORMATION. 

No. 72.] DECEMBER. [1892. 

CCLXXXII.—DISAPPEARANCE OF DESERT PLANTS 
IN EGYPT. 
Kew is indebted to Mr. E. A. Floyer, F.L.S., EM 
of Seyptian bee for the following interesting memorandum 
the of the disappearance of the arbore al desert vegotakión of 
Reypt ‘within historii ric times. It is an extract from the report (which 
ublished 
ce from 
the fact pointed out by the author that the theory he propounds “is 
* applicable to all countries where soil and roe are fit to produce 
* wild shrubs, but not fit to support cultivation " 
DISAPPEARANCE OF Desert PLANTS IN Heyer. 
Much attention was paid by the expedition to - botany of the 
valleys A Moin ut great pains were not expen n the oo 
of herbari specimens. After the patient labour ien over 
more than 20 ears of Ascherson and Sehweinfurth, there was little 
chance of finding new specimens, even though the country explored had, 
in s eft unvisited by these eminent botan 'The score 
r so of "M which seemed unfamiliar where all identified by Mr. W. 
pin ers, F. ith those in the Flora 4Egyptiaca The collection 
A main geographical feature of the country is a ridge some 2,000 
feet high with peaks reaching 6,000 feet above the level of dis sen. 
And this ridge runs near the coast, sloping steeply on the seaward side 
and gently on the landward side. ‘The very marked difference in the 
conditions on either side of the watershed seemed to offer opportunities 
for discovery. 
It seemed that the steep and comparatively moist slopes on the east 
might support a vegetation different from that which struggled for 
existence on the drier western slopes. Such should have “been the 
case. And the fact that it is not the case gave the clue to the theory 
‘in the present paper. 
U 73956.—1.  1250.—12/99. Wt. 38. A 
