Poetry and thought: a study of the major poetical works of Abraham Cowley

The commendable revival of seventeenth century poetry at the start of the twentieth century neither generated sufficient scholarly interest in Abraham Cowley nor restored his ailing reputation. This is because the parochial tradition of viewing him as a rather minor Metaphysical, allied to the charge of obsession with topicality, have been compounded by his treatment as a transitional poet who harked back to the age of Donne and heralded that of Dryden. This summary judgement, though largely invalid as we intend to demonstrate, is reflected in critical opinion that has only very occasionally attempted to appreciate the diverse nature of Cowley's oeuvre. Motivation for this study therefore comes from the thoroughgoing need for a comprehensive study of the works of Cowley whose reputation was considered by his contemporaries to be as secure as that of any English poet before him. Our aim is to interpret his poetry by means of a closer reading than previously afforded in light of forces that shaped his thought and literary practice, discerning in the process how he left such a mark on his age and why this imprint remains indelible for us. The best way to effect a study on Cowley's works, as Jean Loiseau writing in French and to some extent David Trotter among his English critics have shown, is still to respect the divisions the poet himself made when grouping his poems in different blocks, thus encouraging a separate approach to each of them. But critical work on Cowley has mostly been confined to particular works or themes, Trotter's study for example restricted to the 1656 Poems, thereby ignoring the impact of the 1660 Restoration event of unsurpassable historical interest. Our study addresses this lacuna as it covers the gamut of Cowley's poetic career, including the key periods of civil war, the Interregnum, and the Restoration through to 1667 when he passed away. We reveal in the process the historical, political, and intellectual forces that condition his thought and thereby shape his poetry, bringing to the different sections propitious literary approaches to analyse the works in a manner as yet unattempted. Also, our chronological arrangement of material suitably reflects the evolution of thought and his development as a poet; plus, by respecting the formal divisions Cowley made we show how these help him resolve a life -long search for true poetic forms

Bis(3-bromo­methyl-2-meth­oxy-1-naphth­yl)methane

The title compound, C25H22Br2O2, crystallizes with two mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit. In each independent mol­ecule, the two naphthalene ring systems are nearly perpendicular to one another, with dihedral angles of 85.6 (1) and 86.2 (1)°. The crystal structure is stabilized by C—H⋯π inter­actions, and inter- and intra­molecular C—H⋯O and C—H⋯Br hydrogen bonds

A study of the distribution and diversity of the Family Orchidaceae on some selected lava flows of Mount Cameroon

A survey was conducted between December 2005 and November 2006 to determine the diversity and distribution of the family Orchidaceae on three lava flows on Mount Cameroon and to relate species diversity and abundance to altitude, age and soil types. Thirty plots, each of 10 × 10 m were surveyed at low, mid and high altitudes on each lava flow. Forty nine orchid species belonging to 14 genera were identified, with the genera Bulbophyllum and Polystachya being the most represented. One unidentified species was encountered. A rare species, Vanilla sp, was identified in situ. Bulbophyllum porphyrostachys was the most abundant species and grew on the 1959 and 1999 aa lava flows. The least represented species were Ansellia africana and Diphananthe bueae. Diversity and distribution of the orchids depended on altitude, age and climate types of the various lava flows. Diversity was in the order 1922> 1999> 1959. Soil analyses revealed that important chemical parameters change with age and altitude of lava flows. These changes result in changes in diversity. Principal component analyses carried out to determine the orchid safe sites showed that, for any orchid establishment, their ecology, altitude and their association with lower plants (ferns mosses and lichens) are of vital importance

Weed management in banana production: The use of Nelsonia canescens (Lam.) Spreng as a nonleguminous cover crop

During a survey of weeds in the Tiko banana plantations, the plant Nelsonia canescens (Lam.) Spreng was found to have invaded large areas of the plantation with no visible adverse effects on the banana crop. The effects of this Acanthaceae on banana yield parameters, snails’ population and weed species diversity and abundance were evaluated, with the intension of recommending the plant as a cover crop in weed management in banana plantations. Of the 73 weed species identified in Tiko banana plantation, only nine were found growing in association with N. canescens. These weed species also showed reduced abundance and vigour. The reduction in abundance ranged from 60 to 100%. The reduction in abundance was more pronounced during the dry season when cover crop growth was dense, than in the rainy season when there was reduced growth. The pseudo - stem circumference, bunch weight and hand class were significantly higher (p > /0.05) for plants grown with cover crop than for those grown without. The number of snails on and around the pseudo - stem was also significantly reduced in banana grown with N. canescens cover crop than in plants grown without. N. canescens has an added advantage in that it is prostrate and does not climb on the banana pseudo - stem. This may be a good alternative weed management tool in banana production. The techniques of mass production need to be developed

Nitrate and ammonium levels of some water bodies and their interaction with some selected properties of soils in Douala metropolis, Cameroon

The present study examined the nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+) levels of Rivers Wouri and Dibamba and some streams that feed them. The interaction of NO3- and NH4+ with some soil properties was also investigated. It was necessitated by the usage of these rivers for livelihood, despite the deposition of discharges into these streams. Twenty eight (28) surface water and four soil samples were collected from various sites within the Douala metropolis. The water was analysed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), NO3-, NH4+ while the soil was analysed for particle size and cation exchange capacity (CEC). In both cases, standard methods were used. The NO3- and NH4+ levels were higher than the WHO threshold levels in some sites. Nitrate and NH4+ levels of 341.6 and 632.8 mg/l, respectively, were observed in some sites in Dibamba River despite the high level of clay in this area. The values in the Wouri River were low, contrary to the low level of clay in this area. This trend was also reflected in the streams that feed both rivers. The NH4+/NO3- molar ratio was low in areas proxy to the industries reflecting industrial source of  pollution. The continuous use of water from Rivers Wouri and Dibamba for domestic purposes is variably unsafe and needs attention.Key words: Nitrate, ammonium, water bodies/quality, soils, Douala metropolis

Phytoplankton diversity and abundance in Ndop wetland plain, Cameroon

Phytoplankton is very sensitive to nutrient changes. Very little work has been carried out on the effect of these changes on the phytoplankton community in the Ndop wetland. Four paddy-field sites were studied to evaluate the effect of some abiotic factors on their occurrence and abundance of phytoplankton. Water samples were collected from the paddy-fields sites following age gradient 34, 32, 22 and 5 years old fields. Potassium, sodium, nitrate-nitrogen, phosphate-phosphorus, conductivity and pH were the factors that contributed to phytoplankton diversity and density. There was a positive significant correlation between pH and potassium (r = 0.99, P ≤ 0.01), and pH and sodium (r = 0.977, P ≤ 0.05). A negative correlation (r = -0.992, P ≤ 0.01) was observed between pH and evenness. Eight divisions of phytoplankton were  recorded: Chlorophyta (26.42%), Bacillariophyta (20.76%), Pyrrhophyta (20.76%), Cyanophyta  (15.09%), Chrysophyta (1.87%), Xanthophyta (3.77%), Rhodophyta (1.87%), and Euglenophyta (7.55%). The most abundant species included Microcystis aeruginosa, Anacystis sp., Chlorococcus disperses and Peridinum sp. These may be used as bioindicator of the water quality. Diversity index increased with increase in the age of paddy-fields sites. 43% of the species indicated eutrophic status, 16.9%  mesotrophic, and 20.8% oligotrophic. Eutrophic species were more in the older paddy sites while the young paddy sites had more oligotrophic species.Key words: Phytoplankton, diversity, abundance, pollution, Ndop wetland

Lichen Species as Bio-accumulator of some Halogens on Mount Cameroon Valcano, West Africa

Lichens diversities are informative indicators for assessing impacts of air pollution climate change environmental health volcanic activities habitat heterogeneity and continuity Lacking roots vascular tissues stomata and waxy cuticle they absorb and accumulate airborne nutrients pollutants from the atmosphere over their entire surface Halogens especially fluorides are released into the atmosphere in large amounts by volcanic eruptions and their pollutants levels in lichens can be determined quantitatively by chemical analysis of specie

Ethnobotanical survey of trees in Fundong, Northwest Region, Cameroon

Ethnobotanical investigations were conducted in Fundong Central Subdivision in the Northwest Region of Cameroon to identify trees growing in the area and collect information on their uses by the local people. This research covered a period of 12 months from May 2007 to April 2008. Ethnobotanical information was collected through the show-and-tell/semi-structured method and personal interviews during field trips. Three villages were investigated. A total of 82 tree species were identified belonging to 70 genera and 42 families. Among these species, 40 were widely used by the local people in traditional medicine to treat 48 human ailments. Tree species were also used for fuel wood, construction materials, wood carving and honey production. Leaves and barks were commonly used in traditional medicine while the wood, branches and the entire plants were commonly used for other purposes. In spite of the scarcity of natural forests in the study area, the local populations continue to depend on indigenous and exotic trees in their surroundings for their survival. There is therefore need for cultivation, protection and sustainable management of these valuable resources for rural livelihoods

Contribution of some water bodies and the role of soils in the physicochemical enrichment of the Douala-Edea mangrove ecosystem

The effect of enrichment of water bodies could be of serious crises to the mangrove ecosystem. Changes in physicochemical properties of some water bodies in the Douala-Edea mangrove ecosystem was investigated alongside the potential role of soils in controlling these parameters. Water and soil samples within the Douala industrial zones were collected in February 2010 and analysed using standard methods. The concentrations of cations and chlorides (Cl-) in the rivers increased from upstream to downstream and with depth. These parameters were not distinct with other anions which showed higher fluctuations around confluences. Many anomalies were obtained in streams and wells at vicinity of the industries. Mean Cl- concentrations in streams and wells around River Wouri (135.1 and 57.9 mg/l, respectively) were higher than those around River Dibamba (59.3 and 38,2 mg/l, respectively). A low retention capacity of the soils was observed by the non significant (P > 0.05) relationship between the clay fraction and cation exchange capacity (CEC). This makes the mangrove  ecosystem vulnerable to the increase nutrient from anthropogenic activities as indicated by the occurrence of Nypa Palms (Nypa fructicans) and Water Hyacinths (Echhornia cassipes). It is therefore imminent that the Douala-Edea Mangrove Ecosystem is being degraded.Key words: Soils, water, physicochemical properties, mangrove ecosystem