35(, ROPE -MAKING. 



]:iinnate, lea\'es. We walked on among the familiar growths 

 which we like so well: Rosemary (Fig. p. 371). Cistus (Fig. 

 p. 8.1), the thorny Calycotome (Fig. p.= ()l), the Evergreen 

 Rose {Rosa scmpervireiis) , Lentiscus (Fig. p. .■?4'.>), Loni- 

 cera, the climbing Asparagus and Smilax. Lower down the 

 mountain Bramble begins to form impenetrable thickets, 

 hi this climate it keeps all its leaves through the winter, 

 and thus looks green at all seasons of tlie \ear. Ampe- 

 Jodcsuios icfiax, a remarkably tall grass, with last ^-ear's 

 inflorescence rising from the thick tufts, is common through- 

 out the whole iShiquis in this spot. It reminds us of 

 G\nrriu)n ari^-oilcnm^ the Pampas grass which adorns 

 our gardens. In fact the two genera are allied. Ampe- 

 lodesmos is so called from its ancient use in tving up 

 vines. It is worth)- of note that this grass occurs on the 

 eastern Ri\'iera oiih' in a very few places for the most 

 part projecting into the sea, such as Monte di Porto- 

 tlno, Portovenere, and the Island of Palmaria in the Gulf 

 of Spezia. In San Fruttnoso this grass is the object of 

 a .special industrw Ropes of great strengtli are made 

 from the lea^■es. These are first dried in the sun, then 

 soaked in water and twisted together in a primitive fashion 

 without further preparation. The fishermen on this coast 

 make use ol these ropes to drag their nets to land, and 

 the\' stand the strain perfectly. 



A fisherman came half way up the hill and offered 

 us his boat for the sail to Portohno. We agreed to his 

 proposal and he walked back with us. He was a well 

 built youth with an intelligent expression, and ma^' have 

 been about twenty years old. His knowledge of plants 



