Notes and Gleanings. 293 



The agricultural population reside principally in towns : hence but few farm- 

 houses are seen. In the neighborhood of towns, villas, some with extensive 

 grounds, are not unusual. These grounds are usually laid out in the Italian 

 method, with wide, straight avenues bordered with high hedges, having their 

 sides cut straight like a wall ; sometimes ornamented with statues, having flights 

 of stairs, with balustrades of marble, but occasionally, in accordance with the 

 natural method, with their walks and drives adapted to the form and inequalities 

 of the ground, so as to display their beauties to the best advantage. 



It is, I believe, not unusual to have a lack of energy and industry represented 

 as characteristic of the Italian people. This may be true ; but I should not be 

 disposed to admit it, — certainly not to the extent that is sometimes asserted. 

 There is a great amount of labor constantly performed. The land is well and 

 carefully cultivated, and every spot available is made use of: frequently the 

 sides of steep, stony mountains, where there is any soil, is thrown into terraces, 

 and planted with olives, grapes, or oranges. The principal roads are excellent, 

 and well kept ; the traffic of the streets is active ; and various brandies of manu- 

 facturing and mechanical industry are diligently pursued, — indications, surely, 

 not of idleness and inactivity. 



Italy is a very populous country, and numbers may be seen sauntering about 

 the towns apparently unemployed ; but this may arise from other causes than 

 an inherent slothfulness. Where the necessaries of subsistence can be easily 

 procured, the stimulus of necessity to labor soon ceases to operate ; and a 

 desire to improve a condition to which they have long been habituated, is, with 

 many, insufficient to induce the practice of contmued and uninterrupted industry. 

 Under these circumstances, that in a warm climate many should yield to the 

 seductions of the charms of the dolce far niente is hardly a proof of a general 

 tendency to idleness ; nor should such be taken as types of the whole nation. 



JosepJi S. Cabot. 



April 26, iS63. 



New Hardy Begonias. — We have hosts of begonias familiar as stove- 

 plants. We are not unacquainted with them as inhabitants of the greenhouse or 

 the window-garden. We have acquired some experience with them as ornaments 

 of the summer flower-garden ; but, until the fortunate acquisition of these new 

 species, no one was sanguine enough to hope to meet with any form of this 

 popular genus taking its rank amongst the hardy subjects — the everybody's 

 plants — of our gardens. And yet we are assured from practical experience 

 that this character will be sustained by one at least of these beautiful novelties, 

 B. Veitchii having withstood a winter temperature of 25° Fah. with absolute 

 impunity ; while, as B. roscejiora comes from an equally elevated habitat, it may 

 fairly be assumed that it will keep rank with its brilliant compeer in respect to 

 endurance of cold. 



Both these species are, it will be observed, dwarf herbaceous plants ; and 

 even if it should prove, that, whilst enduring the cold, they require some slight 

 protection against the vicissitudes of our variable climate, we must welcome them 

 as amongst the most valuable and important of recent acquisitions, since they 



