Or, as Grant Allen puts it, "mud." He says: "Mud is the most valuable material in the world.

It is by mud we live; without it we should die.

Mud is filling up the lakes.

Mud created Egypt, and mud created Lombardy." Yes, one can get rich here by turning dust into mud.

It is said to be the richest town "per capita" in all California of the same size, $1100 being the average allowance for each person.