402 
fOURlYAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
October  30,  1S02. 
and  striking,  while  immense  patches  of  the  two  sweetest  and 
most  admired  of  the  Narcissus  tribe  were  very  much  in  evidence. 
The  Pepper  tree  also  played  a  somewhat  prominent  part  in  this 
as  in  other  gardens  that  I  had  the  privilege  of  seeing,  and 
attains  in  this  sympathetic  climate  considerable  proportions. 
The  Prickly  Pear,  though  to  some  extent  a  nuisance  and  a  weed, 
is  yet  valuable  all  round  these  parts  as  in  other  indigenous 
countries,  not  only  for  the  excellent  hedges  it  forms,  but  also 
as  regards  a  superior  sort,  at  any  rate,  for  its  fruit,  which  the 
natives  are  usually  very  fond  of,  and  though  insipid  for  the  most 
part,  is  yet  presumably  a  wholesome  and  nourishing  product. 
An  aqueduct  of  crystal  water  flowing  direct  from  the 
mountains  supplies  an  inexhaustible  and  ever-ready  source  for 
irrigating  this  charming  semi-tropical  garden.  Many  different 
kinds  of  handsome  Palms,  several  of  the  Banana  genus,  groups 
of  elegant  Bamboos,  with  specimens  of  the  Indiarubber  tree  and 
the  exquisite  Mimosa  in  the  fullest  flower  and  of  noble  propor¬ 
tions,  afforded  a.  feast  liberal  enough  to  gratify  the  taste  of  the 
most  exorbitant  of  Nature’s  gourmands.  But  there  was  much 
beside  and  galore  in  variety  even  at  this,  the  most  dead  season 
of  the  whole  year.  Thus  a  most  showy  and  profusely  scented 
flower  was  that  of  the  tall,  towering  plant  of  the  Guccorine,  with 
spurs  absolutely  crowded  with  its  large  pet  ailed  orange  flower, 
and  apparently  preceding  the  foliage.  Of  Oranges  several  kinds 
of  the  ordinary  shape  were  grown,  which  for  the  most  part  were 
exceedingly  juicy  and  of  admirable  sweetness  and  flavour,  while 
in  addition  the  Mandarine,  Tangerine,  and  Jaffa  were  each  culti¬ 
vated.  The  Almond,  which  comes  to  the  greatest  perfection 
here,  was  just  appearing  in  bloom,  while  the  Peach,  Cherry,  and 
Apricot,  also  largely  grown,  were  seen  plumping  up  their  buds 
with  an  appearance  of  a  bountiful  seasofi’s  crop.  The  soil  being 
of  decomposed  granite  entirely,  while  suited  to  some  growths, 
particularly  the  Mimosa,  is  but  a  poor  bed  for  many  of  the 
smaller  products,  whether  of  fruit,  flower,  or  vegetable,  and 
herein  my  friend,  the  kindly  host  and  owner  of  this  delightful 
residence,  labours  under  considerable  difficulties.  Perhaps  his 
fairest  and  most  beautiful  flower  is  his  own  lovely  little  maiden 
daughter  of  some  eight  summers — a  perfect  dream  of  sweetness 
and  innocence,  mingling  her  baby  voice  and  lithe  form  with 
the  pure  delights  of  Nature’s  treasures. 
I  must  in  conclusion  refer  to  the  interesting  series  of  plants 
and  trees  a  little  higher  than  the  level  of  this  fairy  spot  on  the 
hill  slopes.  The  line  of  growths  in  Corsica  is  very  distinct, 
thus  leaving  behind  the  Olive,  Plane,  Eucalyptus,  Orange,  and 
Almond,  we  find  the  Holm  Oak,  with  now  and  then  a  Cedar 
asserting  a  very  large  dominion,  having  as  associates  among 
smaller  products  boundless  expanses  of  Arbutus,  striking  enough 
whether  in  the  full  glory  of  its  large  red  berry  or  in  its  bridal 
array  of  white  bloom,  the  bushes  being  thus  variously  decorated 
with  either  ornament.  A  tier  higher  the  gnarled  and  fantastic 
Chestnut  comes  upon  the  scene  with  plenteous  patches  of  our 
own  so-called  Christmas  Rose  or  Hellebore  helping  to  form 
Nature’s  varied  carpet,  while  masses  of  pink  and  white  giant 
Heather,  rising  in  height  to  fully  6ft  in  places,  and  interspersed 
with  the  wild  Mint,  of  a  like  prodigious  growth,  afford  in  their 
season  of  flowering  a  gorgeous  but  somewhat  impenetrable 
verdure. 
Still  upward,  and  now  well  among  the  mountains  we  meet 
the  Pine  taking  almost  sole  possession,  with  little  else  than  scrub 
and  certain  plants  and  flowers,  while  the  utmost  limit  is  reached 
and  found  to  contain  the  beautiful  and  symmetrical  Beech.  Not 
quite  at  so  exalted  a  height,  but  yet  at  a  very  considerable 
altitude,  and  right  upon  the  summit  of  a  lower  range  of  mountains 
stands  an  exceedingly  remarkable  building.  A  former  duke, 
Pozzo  di  Borgo,*  in  a  true  Corsicani  spirit  of  vendetta  against 
Napoleon,  caused  to  be  conveyed  across  sea  and  land  and  up 
these  formidable  and  impregnable  heights  a  very  large  portion 
of  the  Tuileries  itself,  and  formed  his  chateau  therefrom.  It 
stands  out  in  all  directions  as  a  remarkable  and  unique  land¬ 
mark,  fulfilling  literally,  though  not  in  the  way  intended,  a 
father’s  will  that  a  certain  huge  sum  should  be  expended  in 
erecting  buildings  in  the  island,  and  having  the  most  superb 
views  both  land  and  seaward,  seeming  fo  be  a  kind  of  sentinel 
guarding  the  Isle  of  Unrest,  but  destined  doubtless  when  itsi 
own  day  and  generation  be  past  to  become  itself  but  a  ruin 
and  desolation,  for  “  sic  transit  gloria  mundi.” — J.  A.  Carnegie- 
Cheales. 
*  In  1791,  when  Corsica  was  rent  with  the  turmoil  of  the  French  Revolution, 
Napoleon  Bonaparte  and  his  partisans— all  needy  adventurers  -figured  as  French 
red-republicans  or  terrorists  in  Ajaccio,  while  the  di  Borgos  represented  the 
respectable  Corsican  party.  Pozzo  was  nearly  assassinated  by  the  French 
faction,  and  after  Bonaparte  wantonly  shot  down  the  people  coming  out  of 
church  the  Bonapartes  had  their  house  burned  and  were  chased  out  of  the  island 
ntterly  discredited,  ruined,  and  destitute.  The  feud  lasted  twenty-five  years. 
Later  Bonaparte  tried  to  catch  Pozzo  and  shoot  him,  and  Pozzo  intrigued  at 
all  the  European  courts  raising  up  enemies  against  the  French  Empire.  He 
succeeded,  for  he  saw  Bonaparte  deported  to  St.  Helena.  He  subsequently 
represented  Russia  at  the  English  and  French  Courts,  and  died  very  distinguished 
s  ome  twenty-five  years  after  his  adversary.  In  Corsica  the  di  Borgos  are  regarded 
as  patriots,  while  the  Bonapartes  are  considered  in  some  sense  as  turncoats. 
Ornamental  Sylviculture. 
The  practice  of  forestry  lias  exercised  the  minds  of 
British  landowners,  their  agents,  and  their  foresters  to  a  greater 
extent  during  the  last  few  years  than  at  any  previous  time. 
Old  systems  of  forestry  practice  are  being  closely  criticised  and 
subjected  to  frequent  comparisons,  and  even  a  book,  “  The  New 
Forestry,”  was  written  by  a  leading  British  practitioner  and 
published  in  this  country  in  1900,  to  advocate  another  method 
of  treatment  here.  In  the  course  of  a  long  letter  to  our  con¬ 
temporary,  “  The  North  British  Agriculturist,”  Mr.  Jas.  Far- 
quharson,  of  Inverkip,  Renfrew,  seeks  partly  to  oppose  the  new 
forestry,  and  some  of  his  remarks  on  ornamental  forestry  are 
worthy  of  being  reproduced  here. 
“  British  forestry  has,  at  least,  three  distinct  features  of 
utility  in  so  far  as  relates  to  the  requirements  of  British  tastes 
and  ideas,  and  may  be  classed  under  these  three  heads — orna¬ 
mental  woods,  sporting  woods,  and  commercial  woods,  which 
marks  the  line  of  difference  between  British  and  foreign  forestry. 
The  ornamental  part  of  sylviculture  is  that  part  which  em¬ 
bellishes  the  valley  and  upland,  the  nobleman’s  park  and  man¬ 
sion,  sometimes  picturesquely  placed  and  sometimes  elsewise; 
but  trees  in  any  case  screen  deformities,  beautify  the  banks  of 
lakes,  rivers,  and  streams,  and  in  a  general  w7ay  give  fertility 
and  colour,  harmony  and  variety,  warmth  and  protection,  to 
the  open  country  and  its  inhabitants,  which  delights  the  people 
at  all  seasons.  The  people  glory  in  the  beauty  and  variation 
of  .the  woodland  scenery,  and  the  innumerable  magnificent  vistas 
along  which  they  are  free  to  gaze.  We  admire  the  woods  in 
their  many  vernal  shades,  in  their  glory7  and  splendour  of  com¬ 
plete  summer  array,  in  their  autumnal  tapestry,  when  the 
shades  of  spring  green  change  to  those  gorgeous  shades  of  decay, 
and  in  their  winter  desolation  and  nudity.  In  all  aspects  and 
states  trees  have  each  and  all  their  own  peculiar  charm  and 
fascination  over  the  festhetio  mind.  Yes,  we  love  them;  love 
them  in  all  conditions  and  situations,  in  groups,  in  mass,  as 
individuals,  in  all  manner  of  combination  and  extent.  Leaves 
on,  leaves  off,  in  the  valley,  on  the  swellings  of  the  valley,  in 
the  hedgerow,  along  rural  lanes  and  roadsides  where  their  wide 
spreading  rustic  branches  and  leafy  canopy  shelter  and  shadow 
the  way-worn  wanderer.  As  spring,  as  summer,  as  autumn,  as 
winter,  she  is  lovely  in  any  apparel  in  her  arcadian  dominion. 
“  Just  think  of  the  great  plains  of  Britain  denuded  of  trees 
and  exposed  to  the  fury  of  the  winds,  or  the  kingly  palace  or 
castle  left  standing  out  desolate  and  bare ;  a  country  dotted 
over  with  brick  and  stone  houses  without  a  tree  near  to  give 
tone  and  colour  to  the  art  of  the  architect,  or  conceal  the 
blemishes  of  bad  art.  That  is  a  picture  of  the  nude,  not  beau¬ 
tiful,  too  awful  to  behold.  Trees  expatriated  to  soils  and  alti¬ 
tudes  other  than  agricultural  will  be  something  novel  in  British 
sylviculture.  If  this  is  the  present  day  trend  of  sylviculture, 
then  let  us  avoid  such  anarchy  and  disfigurement,  and  hold  on 
to  the  old  system;  if  it  is  not  profitable,  it  is  charmingly 
artistic.  Alas!  for  the  forestry  of  the  new  epoch  if  that  is  to 
be  its  consummation. 
“  Before  pulling  the  old  system  of  forestry  all  to  pieces, 
which,  peradventure,  in  the  past  was  not  the  best  system, 
nevertheless,  on  the  whole,  it  fairly  well  realised  all  that  was  ex¬ 
pected  of  it.  Now  let  us  pause.  Let  us  have  one  last  look 
behind  and  contemplate  the  grandeur  and  massiveness  of  the 
edifice  we  are  about  to  pull  to  pieces,  and  say  farewell  for  ever 
to,  before  we  step  over  the  brink  into  the  future.  Let  us  not 
destroy  the  ornate  and  picturesque  in  the  old  system  of  things 
(sylviculture)  to  gratify  fantastic  and  crude  ideas,  whilst  pro¬ 
gressing  towards  a  new  system  of  things  in  camera,  not  even 
to  please  the  most  austere  iconoclast.  We  will  not  reach 
Utopia  so.  Let  us,  when  wrorking  to  destroy  an  effete  system, 
be  sure  that  the  system  to  be  constructed  is  better  than  the 
system  to  be  swept  away.  That  is  an  important  matter  in  the 
affairs  of  life,  whether  animal  or  vegetable.  It  is  so  much 
easier  to  be  destructive  than  constructive.  It  is  so  easy  to  cut  a 
forest  down,  it  is  so  hard  to  grow7  one.  It  is  so  easy  to  knock 
all  things  to  atoms,  it  is  so  hard  to  put  them  together  again, 
or  even  to  decently  patch  them.  Let  us  conserve  all  that  is 
good  in  the  old  system  of  sylviculture,  while  we  appropriate  all 
that  is  good  and  practical  from  Nature’s  system.  Let  the  meta¬ 
morphosis  be  slow,  step  by  step  as  it  were,  so  that  when  the 
transition  is  complete  the  change  will  not  shock  the  aesthetic 
taste  of  the  most  fastidious  connoisseur;  and  the  fittest  will 
survive,  else  Darwin  is  not  a  true  philosopher. 
“  Individuals  and  nations  sometimes  pay  enormous  sums  for 
oil  paintings  and  other  choice  pictures.  No  price,  indeed,  is 
deemed  too  fabulous  for  a  work  of  real  art.  Then  why  should 
people  begrumble  to  pay  a  decent  price  for  the  upkeep  of  the 
great  picture  gallery  of  the  world,  universal  Nature,  teeming 
with  the  masterpieces  of  the  master  artist  Nature?  It  were 
a  pity  if  the  ornamental  part  of  sylviculture  was  to  be  consumed 
by  the  monetary.” 
