1S84.] TREES IN THE DOLOMITE DISTRICT. 249 



outlying range of comparatively low 71olomites called the Feltre 

 Alpes are entirely covered with turf, and if we knew how long it has 

 taken to accumulate the immense masses of rubbish, that half hide 

 some of the Dolomites we might tell the day when their jagged peaks 

 will have crumbled and M'ill be liuried under turf. 



The Dolomite district may be entered from Italy by Belluno or 

 Feltre ; but in August it is cooler to enter it l)y Toblach, whence there 

 is a magnificent drive through the Hollenstein that leads to Cortina. 

 On descending into the Cortina valley, the road passes through one 

 of those beautiful mountain passes — so common in these mountains — 

 in which fine Fir trees spring from undulating lawns of smoothest 

 turf. ]\lany of the trees wore long grey beards of lichen hanging 

 from their branches, and when many were thus affected the foliage of 

 the trees was scanty, and they were evidently doomed. For those 

 who want to see the Dolomites without 'roughing it,' the best 

 place to stop at is Cortina, whence excursions may be made. It is 

 situated at 3,970 ft. above sea-level, and this may perhaps explain 

 why there is not much variety of tree. The Ash is the common 

 tree in the valley ; there are Willows near the river, some 

 Walnuts and Chestnuts, Larches, and young Fir trees in abundance. 

 The upper parts of the hills and mountains, up to about G,000 ft., are 

 clothed with fine forests. 



I believe Scotch Fir — Pinus sylvestris — to be very common ; so is 

 the Spruce Fir — Ahies excelsa. When the Dolomite meets the 

 Porphyry, near Paneveggio, there are miles and miles of the Siberian 

 Stone Pine — Pinus cemhi^a, with seeds that are eaten by the 

 peasants, as are the ' pignone ' of the Italian Stone Pine. Large 

 patches of Juniper — Juniperis coiiwiunis — are met with on some of 

 the hills. Tlie trees I have seen are generally not more than a 

 hundred years old, and most of them much younger, but in Val Buona, 

 three hours' march from Cortina, in the direction of the Tre Croce 

 Pass, I am told there are still plenty of Fir trees nine or ten feet in 

 girth. 



Before going further, I must allude to a common custom in the 

 Dolomite district and in the Italian Tyrol, a custom most detrimental 

 to the growth and beauty of trees, the autumnal stripping of their 

 leaves and smaller branches. The garden of the priest's house at 

 Cortina is surrounded by tolerably well-grown Ash trees, about 40 ft. 

 high. One morning I found them completely stripped of all leaves 

 and of many branches about the size of a child's wrist. I have seen 

 Oaks, Beeches, Elms, Poplars, and Willows treated in this way, as 

 well as the Ash, while Fir trees. Chestnuts, and Wahiuts are left to 

 their natural growth for obvious reasons. Surprised to find a hill 

 covered with a Beech-wood copse, I carefully examined it and found 



