THE LAND OF AZURE BLUE 49 



inflammation and suppuration, with the notion that such 

 treatment was beneficial, was a minute unripe orange 

 dried, and, no doubt, to some extent, antiseptic. 



Besides the introduced trees, we find, in ground which 

 has been more or less under cultivation, and not, therefore, 

 of the nature of the "maquis," or scrub-land, some beauti- 

 ful plants, such as the narcissus, iris, and various lilies. 

 One very small and graceful tulip is, I believe, regarded 

 as native to the soil, but a magnificent crimson tulip, as 

 large as the varieties cultivated in English gardens, which 

 I have found abundantly in open park-like land under 

 olive trees at Antibes, is said to have been introduced 

 from Persia in the Middle Ages, and to have taken kindly 

 to the Riviera. It is the Tulipa oculus soils. In the same 

 locality were growing many brilliantly coloured " stellate " 

 anemones. 



There is, of course, a third group or " lot " of plants on 

 the Riviera, which consists of those brought from all parts 

 of the world during the past century, and regularly culti- 

 vated and cared for in gardens. The climate of the 

 Riviera enables the gardener to grow all sorts of sub- 

 tropical plants in the open air, and a long list of them 

 could be given. The wonderfully brilliant crimson creeper, 

 Bougainvillia, covers walls by the roadways, and even the 

 railway stations, with its rich colour at this season. A 

 delightful book by the distinguished botanist, Professor 

 Strasburger, describing and picturing in colours many 

 of the cultivated as well as the wild plants of the 

 Riviera, has lately been published (in English) at a small 

 price. 



The animals which come under the notice of those 

 who go in search of spring sunshine to the Riviera are far 

 less numerous than the plants. But there is one which is 

 dear to all, although it makes such a noise for an hour 

 or so about sunset that some people are irritated or even 

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