832 Prof. Hausmann'*s Sketches of South European Nature, 



often disturbs the impression which the scenes have, notwith- 

 standing, fixed indehbly in the mind of the foreign wanderer. 



The Apennines, as far as they Hmit the Valley of the Po, 

 draw a marked line of distinction between the natural produc- 

 tions of Upper Italy, and those of the southern parts of the 

 peninsula. The mountain chain over the Po, maintains partly 

 the direction from west to east ; whence the difference of vege- 

 tation upon the opposite acclivities is particularly striking. The 

 vegetation upon the northern declivities agrees entirely with that 

 of the southern base of the Alps; whereas on the southern 

 side of the mountains, which suddenly sinks towards the sea, 

 the cultivation of the olive-tree is extensive, and many other 

 evergreen trees and shrubs appear. In the farther continuation 

 of the Apennines, where they follow the principal direction 

 from the north-west towards the south-east, we scarcely find a 

 more marked difference in the vegetation, than in that of the op- 

 posite declivities. The trees and shrubs, which are particularly 

 characteristic of Middle and Lower Italy, are limited to the 

 lower plains in the neighbourhood of the mountains, and extend 

 from the sea to a height of 1200 feet. These plants include the 

 evergreen oaJc (Quercus ilex, Q. suber), the pistacio tree (Pis- 

 tacia lentiscus, and P. terebinthus), the strawberry tree (Arbutus 

 unedo), the myrtle (Myrtus communis). The olive tree extends 

 over the whole of this evergreen region, and the laurel and 

 orange-tree likewise flourish in it. However, in the greater part 

 of Italy, the orange-tree is found only in detached districts, 

 which are peculiarly favourable from their situation, and is not 

 cultivated to a considerable extent. Even where the culture of 

 the orange-tree is of greater importance, as in Calabria, there 

 are still no proper orange groves. Hence the cultivation of the 

 orange-tree has far less influence than that of the olive-tree 

 upon the general aspect of the Italian landscape. The great 

 peculiarity of the Italian landscape arises from separate high 

 overshadowing piiies, with their broad-spreading tops being 

 mingled with groups of cypresses. The regular lines of the 

 cypress boughs form a singular contrast with the manner in 

 which the branches of the pine shoot out on opposite sides of 

 the stem. In a still higher degree, the landscape has a novel 

 and entirely foreign character from the date palm; but this tree 



