VEGETATION ON THE BANKS OF THE. WHITE NILE. 
325 
Ti-ees plantpcl cut in this state, often, after 
having put forth their leaves, die suddenly ; 
and others, which continue to live, will fall 
into a languid state, and die off gradually, or 
recover their vigour very slowly. Thirdly, 
in planting the trees afresh, care must be 
taken to spread all the roots evenly, none 
being allowed to be curled round, or turned 
up at the ends. It is not necessary to pre- 
serve and carry any earth about the roots. 
Autumn, directly the leaf has fallen, is the 
best season for the work ; and by careful 
practice, according to the method above de- 
scribed, I have had perfect success in trans- 
planting trees of from eight to twenty feet 
high. — Letter from Sir Charles M. L. 
Monck, Bart, 
VEGETATION ON THE BANKS OF THE WHITE NILE. 
The I'ich and varied vegetation which was 
seen by the explorers of 1841 along the whole 
course of the White Nile has not yet been 
completely and botanically examined and de- 
scribed. When future travellers have ascended 
the mysterious stream, and ascertained the 
nature and names of the countless plants which 
bloom on its banks, we shall doubtless be pre- 
sented with much new, curious, and valuable 
information, which will add largely to the 
store of our botanical knowledge, and perhaps 
reveal to us species, and even families of plants 
hitherto unknown. Mr. Werne saw, and often 
examined them; but could not pause, and may 
not have possessed the means thoroughly to 
investigate the subject. His descriptions, how- 
ever, scattered amidst a vast mass of informa- 
tion of other kinds, may enable us to form an 
idea of the nature, the richness, and the va- 
riety of the vegetation which flourishes on the 
banks of a stream whose source has not yet 
been discovered, but which the late expedition 
ascended farther than any which had preceded 
it. We possess, consequently, in the narrative 
of Werne, the description of a new country ; 
and everything connected with the aspect, the 
people, the civilization, the resources — animal, 
mineral, vegetable — of an almost untravelled 
region, must be invested with peculiar interest. 
And more esjDecially is this the case with the 
White River of interior Africa, the father of 
the mighty Nile, which has from time to time 
engaged the attention of science through all 
ages, and among all civilized nations. 
Having left the Blue Stream, and entered 
upon that Avhose sources they were now, if 
possible, to explore, the vessels proceeded 
along the broad river, whose banks were richly 
wooded with a belt of copses and trees, beyond 
which the unvarying desert spread itself away 
beyond the range of vision. Soon, however, 
new and more beautiful features presented 
themselves. The marshy country on either 
hand was covered with luxuriant aquatic 
plants, among which was a Nympli^ea, with 
a reddish calyx, like the convolvulus, and large 
cordate leaves. This plant is called Loss, and 
exists in as much abundance in this region as 
the white lotus at a later season, the double 
flowers of which glitter brilliantly from among* 
the leaves, in company with others of different 
species, but not less beautiful, which cover the 
surface of this watery expanse, described as a 
floating world of flowers, from forth of which 
this magnificent one glistens with peculiar 
splendour in the moist atmosphere of the morn- 
ing. Werne's own remarks on the Lotos will 
be read with interest. 
" The Lotos shines here in great luxuriance, 
like a double white lily. This stellated flower 
opens with the rising of the sun, and closes 
when it sets. I noticed, however, afterwards, 
that where they are not protected in someway 
from the ardent heat, they likewise close when 
the sun approaches the zenith. Some of their 
stalks were six feet long, and very porous j 
from which latter quality these stems, as well 
as the flower and the larger leaves — dark green, 
above and red- brown below, with a flat ser- 
rated border — have a magniflcent transparent 
vein ; but become so shrivelled, even during 
the damp night, that in the morning I scarcely 
recognised those which I had over-night laid 
close to my bed on the shore. The ancient 
Egyptians must therefore have been quick ia 
offering up the lotus. The flower peeps out,, 
however, only a little above the water, and the 
fruit sinks downwards, either from natural 
inclination or from the weakness of the stalk. 
The flower has about twenty tapering white 
leaves, arranged round a calyx of a yellow gold 
colour, which is similar tothatof theNymphcea 
in our mill-ponds. The fillet, from one and 
a half to three inches in diameter, is like a 
compressed poppy head, and ring-like incisions, 
extend from its corolla to the stalk. The 
small, white seed lies in a brownish, wool-like, 
envelope, and fills the whole capsule." 
The roots of the lotus form an abundant 
and nourishing food, somewhat of the nature 
of the potato. Mr. Werne says : — " Not only 
are the tubers of the Lotos eaten, but also the 
contents of the seed vessel, being mixed with 
sesame and other grains in the bread corn. In 
order to prepare the tubers to our taste, and 
to free them from the earthy flavour, the first 
water in which they are boiled must be thrown 
away; then they taste almost like boiled celery. 
