ITALY:— WINE AND SILK. 93 



stories liigli, dark and dirty-looking, and from tlio windows of 

 the bouses the neighbors may reach over and shake hands. A 

 person may imagine that such a street has not the sweetest odor 

 in the world. No wagons can go in the streets, nor are there 

 many used, as men do the work of horses and mules. Still, there 

 are a few of the latter seen sometimes. When they are loaded 

 with a bulky substance, a person meeting one finds himself in a 

 very precarious situation in the narrow streets; and if there is 

 not a doorway or a cross-street near by, it is a question whether 

 he or the donkey will remain master of the field. The shops in 

 these streets are dark, and the mechanics work almost continually 

 by the light of a lamp. There are a few openings in this city, 

 which can not be called squares, but only spaces of 100 feet, in 

 the most irregular form possible. I found several no-shajped 

 places, where they sell vegetables and fruit. These were fresh, 

 and excellent. The almonds, oranges, and lemons look very fine ; 

 the white fig is delicious. 



September 8. — I took a carriage and started out with Professor 

 E. I. Isnard to a neighboring village, and, after examining the 

 vines and fruit-trees in the nursery, I engaged a person at Rivara 

 to pack -and send to me at Marseilles the following varieties of 

 vines: Boseo, 3felea, Blanchetto^ Verinentino, Bois, Nehwioj Bianco 

 de Asii, Malvoisea. The above vines ^re all native to this section 

 of Italy. The grapes are excellent. I engaged cuttings as well 

 as rooted vines. After this we started for home, which we reach- 

 ed after a very dusty ride. When it came to paying the hack- 

 man, he asked double the price of what I had agreed to pay ; but 

 as I had no time to argue, I gave what he asked and left him. I 

 made an arrangement with Professor Isnard to start to-morrow 

 morning at five o'clock to the small town of Nova to see some 

 silk manufactories. 



September 9. — We reached Nova at eight o'clock, when we took 

 breakfast, and immediately started for one of the principal silk 

 manufactories. After much difficulty we were at last admitted, 

 as the overseer thought me French, of whom they are very jeal- 

 ous, for fear they will learn something of their silk manufactory. 

 With great mystery and suspicion they showed me the cocoons, 

 which they had in a lofty magazine. They were spread upon 

 cane mats, placed one above the other, upon racks made for that 

 purpose. From this place I could look down to where the wom- 

 en, about 120 in number, were at work unwinding the cocoons. 



