268 Horticultural Notes ; — 



and other fruit consumed at Rome are brought from Albano, 

 Velletri, &c. 



Pontine Marshes. — The desolate aspect attributed to these 

 twenty-four miles of the road to Naples is one of the many 

 exaggerations which prevail with regard to Italy. The view 

 is bounded to the left, at a short distance, by the Apennines ; 

 and to the right, at the distance of some miles, by a line of 

 extensive woods ; the intermediate space being partly under 

 cultivation (but chiefly in grass), with vast herds of horses 

 and buffaloes feeding : and though the dead-flat surface, and 

 the occasional (but not very frequent) occurrence of portions 

 covered with reeds, or overflowed with water, give the whole a 

 fenny character, yet, as, happily, there are no pollard willows, 

 and the road (a great rarity in Italy) runs the whole way 

 between two rows of tall elm trees (now in flower, and thus 

 taking at a distance a tinge of green, as if breaking into leaf), 

 the general effect to the eye is not at all offensive, and far 

 less repulsive than some parts of Holland or Lincolnshire. 



Terracina. — The change, on arriving here, is like enchant- 

 ment. The whole way from Rome, for upwards of forty 

 miles, presents few Italian features, and, least of all, the 

 Pontine Marshes ; immediately on leaving which, you burst 

 at once on lofty rocks, close to the Mediterranean, clothed 

 with vines and fig trees, and orange and lemon trees, superb 

 cactuses (Opuntia vulgaris), JEuph6rbm dendroides in full 

 flower, and palm trees (Phoenix dactylifera) 20 ft. to 30 ft. 

 high ; all giving quite a new and southern aspect to the scene. 

 Struck with this sudden change, some travellers have said 

 that here is strictly the gate of Italy, properly so called ; and 

 that what is usually understood by an Italian climate and 

 productions must be confined to the region south of Terra- 

 cina. This, however, is an error, originating in the want of 

 more comprehensive observation ; for every one of the pro- 

 ductions found at Terracina, with the addition of aloes 

 (Agave americana), of which few or none happen to grow 

 there, may be seen as far north as Geneva and Nice ; where 

 palm trees are cultivated, to sell their leaves to the Romish 

 churches for Palm Sunday. The fact is, that the true Italian 

 climate is confined to a very small portion of Italy, namely, 

 to some favoured spots on the western coast ; and that along 

 its whole extent, whenever the approximation of the Apen- 

 nines to the sea, at once keeping off the north and east winds, 

 and reflecting the sun's rays, affords the temperature which 

 the orange and lemon, &c, require. The moment you recede 

 from the coast, especially if a very trifling elevation of ground 

 takes place, farewell to oranges and lemons, at least in any 



