812 



THE LAND OF FLOWERS 



SUNSHINE. 



AND 



IN excellent idea of the physical conditions which 

 obtain in the portions of North-western Italy and 

 South-eastern France which generally pass under 

 the name of the Riviera is obtained from the 

 following brief quotations taken from a paper in 

 the Journal of the Linnean Society for 1880 by 

 Dr. Allman, F.R.S. : "Nowhere in Europe is there 

 a region which, in winter and spring, basks under 

 the rays of a more genial sun, where its mountain 

 " — barriers more thoroughly defend it from the icy 



winds which sweep over the unprotected plains of the north ; and when the 

 season of rains is at an end, there spreads over this sunny land an atmo- 

 sphere of absolute transparency ; while away upon its extreme southern 

 boundary lie the waters of the Mediterranean, flowing round wooded 

 crags and picturesque headlands, and gleaming with an intensity of blue 

 approached by that only of the cloudless sky which stretches over all." 



u No less peculiar is the distribution of rain throughout the year. The 

 season of rain is confined to the winter and spring months, while the 

 summer is, as a rule, absolutely rainless." 



Take the mean temperature of the seasons at Mentone, for example, 

 and we have .winter, with a mean of 49-5 degrees Fahr.; spring, 60; 



in many places where they were never planted. The South American 

 Yellow-flowered Tobacco {Nicotiana glanca) is not uncommon and its 

 distinct glaucous foliage and long tubular flowers render it a conspicuous 

 object. A sure sign of water is afforded by the presence of the Great 

 Reed (Arundo donax\ which forms picturesque groups a dozen feet or 

 more in height, of a particularly tropical aspect. Here in England this 

 rarely is seen in perfection. Here and there the Wild Olive appears as 

 a dwarf scrubby bush, the tall cultivated olive tree— much resembling 

 large old specimens of the Evergreen Oak {Quercus ilex)— looks very 

 different. Along the coast the olives are generally allowed to attain their 

 full development, whilst inland the trees in the olive groves are generally 

 pollarded, and do not present nearly so picturesque an appearance. 



The orange and lemon are largely grown, and the latter is of con- 

 siderable commercial importance for its fruits ; it flowers all the year 

 round, and at Mentone, Cannes, &c, the fruits are gathered about four 

 times a year. Acacia Farnesiana, the fragrant flowers of which are so 

 largely used in the manufacture of Cassie pomade, may be seen in small 

 fields ; the bushes are kept pruned into about the size of large goose- 

 berry bushes. Here and there large plots of tuberoses may be seen, 

 cultivated principally for the flowers, which are largely utilised in the 

 perfume factories. The so-called Pepper tree (Schinus molle) makes a 

 very beautiful small tree with its pinnate leaves and pendulous panicles 

 of small red pepper-like fruits. The Carob, too [Ceratonia siliqua), is 

 valuable for its large chocolate-brown pods, which are exported for feeding 

 cattle. 



Perhaps the most striking feature in the towns of the Riviera are the 



— 



......... 



NICE FROM MOUNT BORON 



summer, 73 ; and autumn, 55-6. At Nice and Genoa the mean for winter 

 and spring is lower, and for summer and autumn practically higher. 

 Given these conditions, it is evident enough that gardening must be 

 widely different in character from what obtains in England. 



The native and naturalised flora is quite as interesting as the garden 



palms, which are frequently used as street trees. In Hyeres for »n st »""j 



lift 



me streets are planted with the Date raim umyj" -r -- , 



handsomer species, and apparently a quicker grower, is that irorr i 

 Canary Islands (P. canadensis). Washingtonia filifera, a very oraamemaj 



„ a< . ul(Miatu uuia is 4 uuc as uiicucawufi «~ &« fan-leaved palm, is a rapid grower, and attains a considerable slze - , 



flora, and a few words respecting the former may not be out of place. flexuosa is the most abundant of the genus, and its enormous iea 

 Every gardener is familiar with the myrtle ; well, this beautiful evergreen leaves, towering up above its congeners and other garden comjwn m* 



is quite common as a brushwood plant in a perfectly wild state in many — J ^ .... 



places along the Riviera. Here and there on rocky ledges may be seen 

 Lavandula spica (the source of the true oil of spike of commerce), a plant 

 nearly allied to, but different from, the Lavandula vera, which at one time 



vated 



" i n v a vvU 111 U1C 11UUUU1UUU wi » v» ****** * , «- 



Surrey, than it is at the present time. Then, on rocky slopes and on 



leaves, towering up above its congeners and other garden w»vr"\ . ' 

 produce an effect which is essentially tropical. Trachycarpus excelsa, n 

 Chusan palm, also thrives splendidly along the Riviera ; this specie , 

 however, has proved itself quite hardy at Kew. „«W! are 



Next to the palms the most tropical feature in R |V,e » for 



the bamboos. Several species, which require in this country , a sw 

 ♦v.**;- 0., — „„r..i .. r . '. , ^11 in the ooen air. 



Bamboo 



walls, the Caper plant {Capparis spinosa), the unopened buds of which than ten years ago there was a fine specimen of the Giant inu,a " fam0US 

 constitute the capers of commerce, grows luxuriantly. Various species of {Dendrocalamus giganteus\ with stems thirty feet high, in w* ^ 

 cistus crow freelv on hot. d—i .u- common Cineraria garden at Villa Valetta, Cannes ; this same species attains a nc h 



cistus grow freely on hot, dry slopes, and the 



mantima, largely used in this country as a foliage plant in summer bedding 

 arrangements, is everywhere conspicuous along the coast by its white 

 woolly leaves and heads of yellow flowers. This plant a few years ago 

 was highly recommended as a remedy for certain diseases of the eye. 



In rocky, dry, and spots, too, various mesembryanthemuns have 

 become naturalized, and the fleshy-leaved M. edule, with its very large 

 yellow flowers, forms large masses on the sands almost at sea level. 



about forty feet in the Palm House at Kew. 



Such plants as heliotropes, pelargoniums 



lantanas, verbenas, 



considerable 



r-~"^ oa iieuotropes, pc.a. 6 «" > • mnsideraoie 



tropieolums, &c, flower all through the winter, and attain co « 

 sze. As I write I call to mind one mass of" scarlct^geranium^^g^^ 



,je bushes had 

 Allium neapoh- 



at Monaco 



yellow nowers, forms large masses on the sands almost at sea level. thick stems, and must have been of considerable age. 

 tne so-called American Aloe {Agave americana) is quite at home under tanum, Anemone fuleens various narcissi, and other 



Similar Condition* fr» tV,» loct « 7-j _i ..... - n v 1 K.,IK~ I «. ? 5 .' vauuuo ? t:.. _ c on 



. . \ a ^ ' + rric fit It fill J 10 MUiwv " — — 



similar conditions to the last-named plant, but attains much larger pro 



portions in better soil, and where it can be watered during the long, mus, occ, ana arrest the attention of the mc 

 rainless summer. Indian Figs {Opuntias) grow, flower, and fruit freely Climbers on houses consist of such brill 



spnng-flowenng 



narcissi, — * done* 



under the olives on the s opes 



Heas, 



