STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 1 35 



THE ITALIAN RIVIERA. 



The picture before you is a contour of the Riviera section 

 along the Mediterranean, the ItaUan Mediterranean, one of the 

 most picturesque regions in Southern Italy, high bluffs running 

 up to a thousand or more feet in some places. The point I wish 

 to draw attention to here is this winding line which follows the 

 coast line. That is a highway, one of the noted highways of 

 Europe. If there is one thing, it seems to me, that this country 

 needs — I mean those broad fundamental factors which make 

 for the progress of the nation — it is better highways, better 

 water-ways, in short, better means of inter-communication. 



ROMAN ROADS. 



Here is another road of the Italian Riviera, one of the most 

 beautiful, picturesque, best mountain roads it has been my 

 pleasure to travel upon. We shall see this somewhat in detail. 

 Road making in Italy is as old as the civilization of the Romans. 

 The Roman roads were noted for their durability. They were 

 not noted for their beauty, that is, from the constructive stand- 

 point, but they were noted for their lasting qualities. This 

 mountain highway was not built for carriages but constructed 

 for horse and foot passengers, pedestrian traffic. It is probably 

 two thousand years old — the center of it a smooth space con- 

 structed of bricks with rough stones packed in on the sides. 

 The picture here is one of a peasant living in the mountains 

 coming down to market with her only means of transportation — 

 the mule or donkey — carrying these panniers on either side 

 laden with whatever she was bringing to market. These are 

 quite common scenes in the olive growing regions of Italy. 



Another view of one of these mountain footpaths passing a 

 villa situated on one of the mountain sides. Here you notice a 

 little shrine which reminds the passerby of his duties to things 

 spiritual. 



Another view of one of these Roman roads : — This road, 

 probably dating back to the second century, winds through the 

 olive groves along the face of that extremely picturesque cliff, 

 at one time connecting Italy with France. And on the general 

 question of roads I would not have you think for a moment 

 that the good roads are confined to any one part of Europe. 



