A GARDEN IN VENICE 



left the inner squares. Setting to work on this 

 plan, we planted pears to make espalier hedges 

 and duly trained them. But the sun is too hot, 

 at least on the southern exposure which we chose 

 for them, killing them with the heat of its regard. 

 Of the dozens of trees so planted a few only lived, 

 either where they got some shade, or single trees 

 that have been allowed to grow as Nature meant 

 them. 



The vines were at once taken in hand. One or 

 two pergolas were suppressed where the vines were 

 past recovery or weak, and one or two squares were 

 thrown together ; thus in one case massing two 

 tiny orchards of Marinelli, that looked at each 

 other across the line of the vines they stifled. 

 Then Furlani were called in, men who, passing 

 the summer on the mountain slopes, leave their 

 wives to the snows of winter, and come to Venice 

 and the neighbouring towns to sell hot chestnuts 

 or cooked pears, and to bake bread or make 

 chocolate. Men of this kind are very frugal and 

 industrious. They go to France and Germany in 

 numbers to work at various trades, and return 



39 



