New-York tribune., 1882-03-12

every foot Of land is turned to use the crude color
of clay is still preserved. This Is owing to the
method of cultivation. All the hill-sides are ter
taced and from below one sees only the limestone
walls vhch form the face OF the ledges without the
herbage that covers the top. Where the terraces
are devoted to the vine they seem in winter to he
absolutely bare. 1t Is only in the ancient olive
groves, where the turf has crept over the edge of
the stone, where ferns and mosses are rooted in
every crevIce where the wall itself is crumblng TO
ruin that the eye feasts upon the soft and harInO-
NOUS tnts which we love to associate with fruit
bearing soil. The truth is, though nature has be-
slowed upon these sunny slopes some of her most
valuable gifts, she exacts from the cultvator more
patient, costly and long continued toll than New
Hampshire farmer thinks of bestowing upon his
rocky acres. She is prodgal of warmth, bat she IS
a nirgard with water. Not only must every field,
orchard and vineyard be cut into terraces and every
terrace faced with masonry, but cistrens must be
built for the spring and autumn rains. and condults
among oil the plantations; channels must be cut IN
the rock to catch the surface water which would
otherwise run to waste every little rl must be set
TO work; every watercourse becomes a valuable
public possession whose use by the neighborlng
landhOdecs is regulated by precise laws or the
equally binding force of lmmemorial custom.
| have spoken of the appearance of the panta-
tons as generally sees them in looking up from
the roads But if we climb hill by one OF the
donkey paths which lead out of every valley, we
get a very different impression of the scene. Look
ing down the slopes instead of up, everything ap-
pears a mass of verdure The walls of yellowlSh
stone are hidden; the foliage of the olive and the
pine seems much denser than 1t is; and the olive
branches in particular assume beauty which Is not
really theirs shall long keep vivid recollection
laf+ fha op
road just on the edge of Mentone. and mounting by
a narrow path between the high walls of villa gar
dens was soon among the pines. already fragrant
with the currents of spring Tha track was one of
those mountain ways which all tourists IN this
region know so WELL beginning in a roughly paved
lane, and growing narrower and ruder as it passed
one after another of the various upland cottages
and plantations it was intended TO serve IN COM
mon. In the steepest places IL mounted by broad
steps sometimes paved with cobbe-stones, some
times roughly cut in the rock. 1t passed over
ridge where the resinous perfume of the pine
mingled with the odOr of rosemary 1t led down
through a wooded ravine, under towering
expresses and up again to another height crowned
10y noble grove of olives. Finally, when 1t had
diminished to faint goat track, found myself
looking down into a deep valley. open only toward
the sea. a cul de sac among the hills, filed with
green of the olive was relieved by dark shining
masses of the lemon and orange trees, whose ripe
fruit ga ge a gay touch of color TO the landscape.
The led tiles of a few half hidden roofs peered
through the foliage. A peasant woman balanced
vessel of water on her head as she tOiled upward
from reservoir at the bottom of the valley.
went around by the head Of the gorge to the oppo-
site slope and followed path which ran along
narrow ledge in the direction of the sea. sudden
turn among the olives brought me Unexpectedly to
a little nest of picturesque kabitations clinging
to a steep declivlty. The track, grown again to Il
respectable path. wound in and out among them IN
many intricate turns, and there were frequent
flights of steps built in special reference to don
KEYS with very low rises. and very wide sloping
treads of cobblestones. Vine trellises, supported
on thick columns of masonry. made effective vistas
be ore the gray stone cottages; the path itself was
sometimes rooted ith netW ork of vines. In front
of little house here the track almost touched
the doorJoSt sat a handsome sad-gy ed woman with
pretty children at her feet and mass of freshly
cullcd vegetables on table beside her from which
she was choosing the materials of a salad. The
specked sunlight fell upon the group through
lemon trees with an effect in which an artist would
have delighted. l stopped and asked the way
less because l needed direction than because the
scene was so charming and the path so close that
could udrulJ Ntlp speaking. IIcSCulIS Odlho W "
hgh-road. aud passing several stately villas re-
gained the town.
G The neghborhood abounds in walks like this
and when we have made one or two such eXcur-
slons into the valleys and over the coast-line of
hills. we are at no loss to understand how dear
NertOne becomes 10 those who know it. The
valley drives offer prospects of a different character
They take Us along tortuous lodges. overhangng the
beds of the torrents into the recesses Of the noun
talns: and as they turn hither and thither around
the projections of the hills. they show the bare
peaks in many changing aspects their sharp edges
outlined with wonderful distinctness in this clear
atmosphere against the bright blue sky. Always
there are fruits and rich verdure in the depresslonS
below u.s. flowers by the roadside, wild ra7ines and
fantastic rock formations in front. certain
driver with whom have established friendly re
atony advised me to 60 in his carriage to famous
cascade which tumbles into one of the valleys
from height of hundred feet 1t was a pleasant
and interesting excursion; and when we reached
an elevated point few miles from the town my
guide pointed ont channel in a cliff ne regretted
that there was no water in this dry season, but
there nevertheless the rest of the cascade to-
wit. the rocks Well, well; enjoyed the drive.
and did not care for the water. J. r. q. II.
CuBNCFS IN THE PRICE OF COIL