|N southern Italy very little is to be found 

 of interest to the student of the Renais- 

 sance garden. There are, indeed, bits here 

 and there of interest in themselves, but nothing suf- 

 ficiently complete to bear the character of a design. 

 This is the case in the royal villa at Portici, now 

 turned into an agricultural school. The architect- 

 ural details bear the mark of the eighteenth century, 

 though it is very probable that the plan, which is 

 excellent, would date from a much earlier time. The 

 flower-garden behind the palace is now filled with 

 botanical specimens, arranged without regard to the 

 design of the parterre, but the wall is extremely in- 

 teresting on account of its simplicity and the form 

 it gives to the general outlines of the garden. The 

 gate through which one passes from here to the 

 grove is very picturesque, the dignified columns and 

 delicate iron-work contrasting with the deep green of 

 the ilexes. Looking from the garden through this 



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