214 CHAPTER XXIX. 



with two other species of almost equal beauty. The 

 Fuchsia is much less common in the Nice gardens 

 than one might expect. I suppose the air is too 

 dry. Many persons think that the irrigation of the 

 Nice valley by the water of the recently constructed 

 Vesubia canal has increased the amount of moisture 

 in the air : and it may be expected that, as this 

 water is more extensively used, a still greater change 

 of climate will result. In this case certain plants 

 and insects may be able to maintain themselves, 

 which at present thrive only in the damper air of 

 Cannes. 



This Vesubia canal is a wonderful work. It 

 starts from the torrent at St. Jean la Riviere, close 

 to a narrow gorge, which is strongly fortified. Here 

 the road branches to the Sanctuary of Utelle. This 

 picturesque spot is now easily accessible from Nice 

 since the Ciaudan has been pierced and the Vesubia 

 valley can be entered from the Var. 



Astrantia is the pride of the Umbellates, and 

 as abundant in the hill district as it is handsome. 

 Benthamia has no rivals in the Cornel family. The 

 fruit of this rare garden shrub is not unlike a straw- 

 berry in outward appearance. The Scabious which I 

 prefer is a salmon-coloured species abounding in the 

 stony cornfields at Caussols, above St. Vallier. 



Now for the Composites. The Thistleheads have 

 a gigantic champion, the Artichoke (Cynara Scolymus), 

 cultivated here, not for the beauty of its great blue 

 flower heads, but for the succulent bracts of the 

 involucre. 



Among the Corymbifers I am partial to the 

 Milfoils (Achiflea), of which a very pretty yellow 



