A Treeless F'orest. 35 



to the flowers) ; fill a lined basket with these or place them in a deep dish set within 

 the basket, then arrange the flowers as directed for the hanging basket. The bog- 

 moss retains moisture a long time ; the flowers may be removed when they decay and 

 others fill their places ; the moss and the wild plants being occasionally watered will 

 remain green and grow through several months. 



[TO BE COXTIXUKD.] 



A Treeless Forest. 



IF it is possible for any country to bear the above anomalous title, one need only 

 read the following items to appreciate the possibility of its existence : 



In Dalmatia, Europe, there existed formerly a Karst or forest, which originally 

 was dense and heavy ; gradually it has been thinned down till now it is utterly devoid 

 of vegetation. And among the topics which exercise the constant eff"ortsand thought 

 of the ministry of agriculture of the Austrian Grovernment, is the project of its 

 restoration to pristine verdure and leafy greenness. 



On December 12. 1871, there was held an exhibition of agricultural and forest 

 seeds, at Vienna, wherein was a collection of 60 varieties of forest trees, under the care 

 of the directors of the Central Nurseries. These nurseries are now devoted to the 

 raising of trees and shrubs, to restore the Karst as a forest. A correspondent of the 

 Gardener'' s Chroriich, traveling over the country, communicates the following detailed 

 intelligence concerninc; it: 



The Karst is now almost devoid of any vegetation, and is covered, for the most 

 part, with larger or smaller pieces of Chalk-stones, of a cold greyish color, remark- 

 ably perforated, and often in a decayed state from the rough climate and the dreadful 

 "bora." Only in the funnel-shaped valleys (called Dolinen) is any vegetation to be 

 found. This is partly natural, partly raised by the hand of man, who turns to use 

 every available spot of ground in the vicinity of his wretched domicile. 



A beginning Avith this plantation has now been made, and I do not doubt but that 

 success will crown the efi'ort if only continued with preseverance. As a proof that 

 on the rocky surface of the Karst woodland can exist, I may mention the deer garden 

 of the Princess of Hohenlohe, at Duino, the ancient and charming castle of Avhich 

 crowns a picturesque rock rising up out of the blue sea, and which may be observed 

 even at a distance from Trieste or Miramar. 



The five nurseries, laid out for the purpose of producing plants for the Karst, are 

 placed in different places and at different elevations on the mountain, to adapt them 

 the better for their future locality. 



The three first are situated on Monte Sermin, near Capodistria, on the sea-shore. 

 Here are produced seedlings fit for the lower countries, to about an elevation of 50 

 feet above the level of the sea. The ground in this region consists chiefly of chalk 

 sparingly mixed with a reddish ochery clay. More than 2,000,000 of seedlings are 

 here in readiness, amongst them 678,283 Fraxinus Ornus, 83,854 Pyrus communis, 

 712,529 Robinia Pseudo Acacia, 153,689 Pinus austriaca, 75,928 Hibiscus 

 Syriacus, etc. 



