MAQUIS ON THE CAP D'ANTIBES. 123 



can step direct trom the garden into Nature's virgin 

 wilds; for the ga\' and aromatic shrubs whicli clothe 

 the coast here were not planted b\- human hands. The\' 

 are indigenous and are representative of a t^'pe of vege- 

 tation, characteristic of the ^^lediterranean region, which 

 is known as ''Maciuis" or ''( jarigue". The Maejuis is 

 being gradualh' encroached upon on this thickh' popu- 

 lated coast, and large tracts of it can now onl\' be fomid 

 in the Montagnes des Maures and the Esterel. In Corsica, 

 however, it ma-\- be seen to perfection. 



The Cap d'Antibes was formerh' noted for its natural 

 u'ealth of plants, all the most important t\'pes of the 

 Provencal flora being gathered together here. Man\ 

 have had to give wa\- tt) cultivation, but those that 

 remain are well \\'orth\' of closer obser\alion. 



l"he Maquis, to \A'hicli we have such easy access liere, 

 is characterised by evergreen bushes. There are even 

 a certain number of trees which do not grow bc\(>nd the 

 height of bushes in tlie Maquis. In the great ma]orit\- 

 of these shrubs the leaf-surface has been mucli diminished 

 and tire leaves have even disappeared in some of them. 

 Thus the plants are able to resist long drouglit. In tlie 

 spring, wlien tliere is the necessarv moisture, tho\" nearU 

 all bloom at the same time, and form ga\' gardens where 

 at other times the soil is parched. ^Vromatic plants predom- 

 inate in the Macjuis. Tlieir aroma protects them from 

 the ra\'ages of animals. This protection is essential in 

 such a dr\' climate where it is ver\- difficult for tlie plant 

 to replace the parts ^vhich have been destro\ed. From 

 each plant \ oli brush in [lassing cjiiite a flood of perfume 



