274 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Mecca, to which I had longed to make a pilgrimage. But we 

 were off again for Genoa, on our way to the north, and it was 

 some satisfaction to feel that we should soon be under the cool 

 breezes of the Alps. 



It had been excessively hot and dry for weeks, with not a 

 drop of rain to moisten the parched earth. Leaving Genoa 

 early in the morning, w^e soon rose up from the level of the sea, 

 among the hills and valleys. After passing the Appenines, the 

 road runs through a level but highly cultivated country, 

 abounding in luxuriance. The contrast between Lombardy 

 and Southern Italy is very great. As soon as we got among 

 the irrigated fields every thing was green and fresh, teeming 

 with life. 



" What crop is that ?" asked my companion, one of the 

 Smiths, pointing to a large field that looked a little like barley, 

 in the distance from the railway. 



" That ! that is Italian rye grass, a native of this part of 

 Italy, and one of the very best grasses known for cultivation 

 on irrigated meadows. It produces the earliest of any, and 

 will bear a great amount of forcing from liquid manures ; and 

 what's more, these people cut six, eight, and nine crops of it." 



"Is that so?" 



" That is so ! So the books say. You know I'm a stranger 

 here. But look there. They are cutting a crop now, quite 

 green and low. How juicy that must be ! Don't you remem- 

 ber they have a proverb in Spain relating to the irrigated 

 meadows of Valencia ? They say — 



• In Valencia, the flesh is grass ;' 

 The grass, water ; 

 The men, women ; 

 And the women, notliing.' 



But that don't seem to apply here, for tlie women appear to be 

 more and to do more than the men. So don't let that proverb 

 prejudice you against the girls of Milan, for we are rapidly 

 approaching it." 



As we ncared Milan the evidences of the highest cultivation 

 appeared in every direction, as far as the eye could reach. 

 Water courses along by the sides of the railway and around 

 each field, and tall trees line the highways. Not a fence 

 is to be seen, but greenness and luxuriance on every hand. 



