SUCCULENT PLANTS. 187 



in the cells of the stem. Succulent plants are pecu- 

 liarly adapted to the climate of this district ; for 

 their power of resisting drought enables them to live 

 through the Summer, which is always dry, and some- 

 times altogether rainless. 



Let us start with those " American Aloes," in 

 green tubs, which guarded Mr. Numpkin's house door ; 

 those prickly plants into which the wily Mr. Muzzle 

 contrived, with great dexterity, to overturn both Mr. 

 Tingle and Mr. Job Trotter, as they withdrew^, 

 discomfited, from the magistrate's house. 



The Afjave (Fig. 71) is thoroughly characteristic of 

 the Riviera. Its bayonet-pointed leaves figure in the 

 foreground of every photograph, and the great flower- 

 stem, branching like a candelabrum, with rigid 

 regularity, enters into the composition of every sketch 

 and water colour. What would the artist do without 

 the Agave ? Yet this plant is no native of Europe. 

 Though now so completely naturalised, it is a stranger 

 and intruder like ourselves, for it was brought over, 

 not long ago, from Central America. Professor 

 Penzig very pertinently remarks that hardly any of 

 the characteristic Riviera plants are indigenous. He 

 instances the following, Orange and Lemon, Olive, 

 Vine, Cypress, Opuntia, Date Palm, Fig ; and he asks 

 " what remains ? " Not much indeed ! But surely 

 the Dwarf Palm (Chamcerops), the Oleander, the 

 Pistacias, and some others are both indigenous and 

 characteristic. 



The Agave is said to ripen its fruit as though it 

 w r ere truly a native ; but I think that it is propagated 

 chiefly by the suckers which it thrown out so abun- 

 dantly. These are very troublesome in a garden, 



