1839] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



299 



lations, which followed one another in the times 

 of Charlemagne's successors, introduced into Italy 

 that universal barbarism, which by degrees, over- 

 spread all Europe; and, it is probable, that it 

 would not so soon have emerged Irom it, if it had 

 not been for some beneficial consequences that at- 

 tended those frantic expeditions, the Crusades. 

 Among other usetbl arts imported (roni the east, 

 the followers of the cross brought into Italy that of" 

 flooding lands, which seems not to have been 

 practised in this country after the ruin of the 

 Gothic empire. They had been accustomed to 

 behold the most delicious scenes upon the banks 

 of the Orontes, wliere the plains resembled a beau- 

 tiful garden, cantoned out into a variety of parti- 

 tions, and refreshed by plentiful streams ; and the 

 impressions which they received upon the spot 

 were so strong, that they were not effaced alter 

 their return into Italy ; whence it happened, that 

 new modes of culture were introduced, which, at 

 once embellished and fertilized this country. 



The Piedmontese and Milanese were the first 

 who profited by the example and instruction of the 

 Crusaders. Every spot of ground in Piedmont 

 that is capable of irrigations, has been nriade to 

 contribute its utmost to the owner ; and indeed i 

 were it not for this advantage, the whole province 

 would be miserably barren. It is pleasant to see 

 how the very rivers which lay waste the plain 

 from Chivasso to Turin, as it has been intimated 

 above, make some amends, by submitting to be 

 divided into little streams for the improvement of 

 the lands. Coni is situated near the confluence 

 of the Stura and Gesso, which have destroyed 

 above 500 acres of land m the neighborhood ; and 

 would have threatened the ruip of the town itself, 

 if it had not stood upon an e j-j'inence ; yet these 

 rivers are greatly conducive to*{ie general fertility 

 of this part of Piemont; the Gesso, in particular, 

 being famous for the warmth and fi-uitflilness of 

 its waters, which are supposed to be owing to the 

 minerals of the Bagni Vaudieri. with which it is 

 impregnated. From Coni to Limoni, the vale is 

 watered partly by the Gesso, whose streams are 

 admirably conducted ; and partly by the Varme- 

 nagna, which greatly contributes to the rich crops, 

 both of corn and grass, with which this tract of 

 land abounds. 



In the way between Turin and Mount Cenis, 

 diversified with wild and raagnifiicent views, we 

 cannot but be struck with the sight of the mea- 

 dows, which, at particular seasons, are equal in 

 point of verdure to any in England. These mea- 

 dows are watered by the Duria, which descends 

 with vast impetuosity from the Alps, and causes 

 frequent devastations; but suffers itsellj in return, 

 to be confined wilhin narrow drains and trenches, 

 so that it may be carried on, or drawn off at plea- 

 sure. The valley is closed at Novalese, where 

 they shew strangers a cascade above an hundred 

 feet in height, and scarce more than five in 

 breadth ; but, contemptible as it is, it has furnished 

 a rill for the use of the adjacent lands ; and though 

 the ascent from Novalese is wonderlully steep, 

 and sometimes almost perpendicular; yet even 

 here the Duria is made subservient to irrigations. 



If a man would see this art carried to the high- 

 est point of perfection, he must visit the state of 

 Milan, where every part, except to the northward, 

 bears a testimony to its beneficial effects. So 

 long ago as the year 1220, the famous canal of 



Muzza was made fi-om the Adda ; which, being 

 afterwards joined to another, gave an opportunity 

 to flood the whole province of Lodi. We fre- 

 quently meet with streair.s above streams, crossing 

 one another in all directions ; and sometimes so 

 complicated, that we can hardly discover whence 

 they came, or whither they are going. When I 

 was at Lodi in 176S, the number of cows in this 

 little province amounted to 30,160; and I heard 

 from unquestionable authority at Milan, that the 

 inhabitants receive commonly 70,0001. a year for 

 the cheese which they sell to foreigners, indepen- 

 dent of what is reserved (or their own consump- 

 tion. There is no doubt but that this must be 

 attributed to the Adda, for the soil is naturally 

 meagre ; and, indeed, it appears, that the quality 

 of the soil varies, according as the Adda ap- 

 proaches nearer to the Po. The Adda at first 

 moves very slowly, and very few land-floods fall 

 into it, as it passes through the lower part of the 

 province ; and we find, that the contiguous lands 

 are not rendered very fertile; but as soon as the ri- 

 ver enters the upper part, it has a much quicker de- 

 scent ; the water is not only softened and meliora- 

 ted, but also enriched by the land-floods, which 

 bring a considerable quantity of manure; and that 

 kind of li-uitful mud is conveyed to the fields, 

 which the Italians call il fior di terra. We see 

 the superior effects of it about Codogno. and the 

 lands adjoining to the Cremonese, where the 

 marsh-bent, and other valuable grasses, are found 

 in much greater plenty. I cannot help observing 

 though il may seem foreign to the purpose, that 

 there are no permanent meadows in this province, 

 which produces the cheese, so well known under 

 the name of Permesanj for it is the constant 

 practice to break them up every three years, and 

 to lay them down again, aher taking two crops of 

 wheat, and one of flax, or millet, or maize ; it 

 being proved by experience, that if the meadows 

 in this province are not managed after this man- 

 ner, the water makes the grass coarse and sour, 

 and very prejudical to the taste of the milk. On 

 the contrary, there is a vast range of meadows in 

 the environs of Milan, which are never broken 

 up, because the water is never let over them; the 

 soil being admirably adapted of itself to throw 

 out the best son of grasses. 



In the territories of Venice, irrigations are very 

 frequent ; for, not to mention the use of them in 

 the Trevisan and Paduan, we see a singular in- 

 stance of their efficacy in the neighborhood of 

 Vicenza; where the Bacchiliogne repays, in some 

 measures, the mischief that has been done, by 

 bringing a sort of" calcareous earth, which quickly 

 dissolves and fattens all ihe coiitiguouc lands. 

 There are meadows in this [)rovince mowed three 

 times, lliough ihey lie at the very foot of the 

 Alpse. I observed it more particularly in the 

 Valdagno, which is washed by the Agno, full of 

 sand, stone, and ballast; and I could not account 

 for the benefit arising Iron) it, but by supposing, 

 thai it was of use towards binding the mucilagi- 

 nous parts of the roots together. In the province 

 of Brescia, ihere is scarce a field which is not 

 watered; and were it not lor this advantage, the 

 inhabitants would be extremely poor ; fbr the soil 

 inclines to stone and gravel throughout; and is 

 sometimes full of ferrigineous particles. Happily 

 for this country, there is abundance of fine springs; 

 and there are three rivers which make it more 



