EUCALYPTUS NEAR ROME. 35 



of a little soil scattered among large stones. Here it lies in 

 great excess, cut into millions of little valleys, a fine study 

 for those who wish to examine the action of streams, but a 

 land wasted and almost useless. If these were made to 

 bring out crops, there is room enough for a great population 

 to live ; and if crops were closely grown, the mud would 

 proportionately cease to flow. There is a good deal of 

 friendly interchange of favours to be made between the 

 Lower and Upper Tiber. That this is possible seems to be 

 proved from some of thes6 hills being covered, although 

 there are few in this condition. It may be difficult to coat 

 the steep sides with any vegetation ; but when the top is 

 covered this difficulty diminishes. Still this is work for 

 many men and for along time. 



A peculiar feature of much of the unwholesome land 

 struck me. It began exactly at the foot of the hills. 

 There was no gradual slope ; but you came down from the 

 hill and were at once on the plain stretching out for miles. 

 This, of course, favours violent floods, and may be coexis- 

 tent with very bad drainage of the plain. Still, as it has 

 been remarked, the Campagna round Rome is not a plain 

 surface, neither are the lower parts the least healthy. 



I hope to think more fully of this if I describe the va- 

 rious opinions on the causes of malaria ; at present it comes 

 only incidentally. The great engineering works which only 

 governments can undertake promise to be of value; but the 

 planting to which I specially allude, seems to point out 

 work for private men, especially laud-owners. This view 

 of the subject, if correct, must be most comforting to Italy, 

 because it prevents that delay which is needful before great 

 numbers can be brought to act in concert. If enough can 

 be done privately to enable the agricultural labourers to 

 inhabit the plains without fear, the larger schemes will come 

 in time. 



