THE HOLIDAY OF DREAMS 383 
ered with virgin forest for a few cents an acre, as was 
the case not so long ago, when "inaccessible" locali- 
ties were looked upon as encumbered rather than 
benefited by their burden of big trees. But whoever 
wants a mountain-side, with a laurel-bordered 
stream and a wide view of enchanting heights, can 
have it, and if all the forest is no longer primeval it is 
nevertheless charming. The half-grown trees and 
the saplings, with the few large trees that generally 
manage to escape destruction, afford a starting- 
point for the creation of delightful landscape effects. 
And although the mountains have no great agri- 
cultural value, frequent statements to the contrary 
notwithstanding, they are capable of responding 
cordially to him who, desiring a garden, a fruit 
orchard, or a vineyard, goes about it in the right 
way. New methods will doubtless increase the 
bearing capacity of the earth, but when all is said 
neither soil nor climate is as well suited to the pro- 
duction of food crops for man's needs as they are for 
the production of laurel and azaleas for his pleasure. 
Where the mountains stand supreme is in their 
gracious climate that seems to caress the world- 
weary; in that and in the subtler beauties of nature 
that everywhere cover them as with a garment. The 
chance to build a castle out of fancies and a few firmer 
materials, to snare the vagrant fragrances that float 
free, to fix the rose-bay on the cliff, to clear a vista 
to the heavenly heights, moves the desire of every 
lover of beauty who comes here sighing for release 
from the bondage of icy winds or city conventions. 
