PLANTS. 
M4 
10. Cicuta virofa *. Water Hemlock. 
This grows in plenty on the banks of the Nile* 
and on the coads of the iflands. I faw it in No- 
vember, 1750, growing on an ifland, oppofite that 
on which the Nilometer (the houfe where the 
height of the Nile is taken) hands, and though all 
the other plants on the ifland were greedily de- 
voured by the oxen and cows, yet they never of- 
fered to touch this. I mud in this place refer to 
the Differtation de Viribus Plantar, in the fird vo- 
lume of Linn. Amccn. Acad, where I treated on the 
Marlh Hemlock and Water Hemlock. The above 
circumftance confirms what I there aflerted, and 
proves, that nature aids always confidently with her 
own defigns. 
ii. Linum ufitatiffimum k . Flax. 
This is much cultivated in Egypt, efpecially the 
ifland of Delta, and near Damiata. A confiderable 
quantity is yearly exported to Venice and Leghorn- 
It is foft and good, but not better than the Euro- 
pean. They make to this day, cloth of it > n 
Egypt, which is coarfe, and of little value, wh^ 
compared to what is made in Europe; however, tn® 
Turks purchafe it, as do the Europeans, on accoun 
of its cheapnefs. By what we can fee from 
linnen wrapt round the Mummies, the famo llS 
linnen of the ancient Egyptians, was not betted 
than what is made at prefent in this country. ^ 
it was then the bed, as Egypt alone poflfeffed t : » 
art of cultivating and manufacturing Flax. 1 
Egyptian linnen is not fo thick as the Europ ea ’ 
i Lin. Syft. Nat. P.336,'1. * P. 397. N. i. -g 
