The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-22
Surprising Even Italy.

Ou Naldo~ta, Ga, correspondent
sends a clipping from loc lpapcr glN-.
II. letter from the Ben rctlry foore
wherein he prouounce> The >,eu,r, &
Northern Georgia laud tie contuuative
range. into Western Caroliual superior
IL anything IN thc much Wanted North
Italian views. We lake au extract from
Poore'- letter:
Va i Ombro>a. which : the Italian
tor Shady dN>V. : a mountain retreat
near Flor, nee, which presents comhi-
nation OF the >ublintst and most beau
iitul features belonging 10 sal seen
cry, winding up amid the Apprniuc
Nouutain>. tie vale j IN most ralt>
r,nd,rcd Wild and gloomy IN the rock.
ard heavy shades oi the ancient forests
" Whi,lt oNtrhaug IT, Arriving at the
sunni i 81 the nnnittUe> prospect oi
dc extent attracts the Sl-ltt. The
rNcr Ammo " ud> through fertile plains
irons Florence 10 tie Mediterranean
>,a while around are y Nan shades.
With gnaried oaks >oulbrr lnS aud tall
h,cche-. The scene has tccn emhalm-
ed III y.!>e by three great poets
Ariosto. l.amagtinr and Miltou-thg
last telling II ii n Paradise Lost"
''Thick autuninat leaves that .'r.~ the brock.
III Val oinbrosa."
III Va. Il Ao~ta. - valley which
commence, amid a j ino precipiccs. tor
rents and cascades aud end, IL the Ter
til" plains and the r.ch vineyards ci
Northern Italy. At the bottom of th,
a.. II, 4
in a deed rich valley. behind which tn,
sun-cappei SUBMITS OF the Alps glitter
in the sun. It's antiquarians fiN the DAT,
of its foundation 400 wears before that
of Rome-that is ll5S years before
{ hrist-upwards of three thousand
Years since! st Bernard was Archdca-
con OF Aosta in 162. and he asccrtaincd
that smug@lers went up the Val d'
Aosta. crossed gorge IN the noun
tains. and reached the source OF Rhone.
He had road made, with hospce on
the summit for the relief of weary tray
eltrs. which Mas the beginning ot the
famous st Bornard'> pass. famous IN
late years on account OF the large breed
OF dogs, kept to huut traveller. III the
snow storms
Calvin was at Aosta. and was forced
to leave in 1911, an event coInmemora-
ted by a monumental pillar. bearing an
inscription recording the fact One
might suppose on seeing this column.
that there was question of the repuls,
OF some mlgltv conqucror. instead ct
an insulated wandcrcr, whose whole
strength lay III his doctrines.
The peasantry in the Val d Aosta,
are stunted, >qualy dirty a"d ignorant.
afflicted terribly with crctinism and
goitre. Ii has been estimated that OF
the whole population one in fifty IS a
crctn. and above oue-iall or more are
goitred more or less. Some of these arc
horrid objects. the eotrcs or tumors
which hang from their necks being as
large as their heads. But few well
dressed or decent looking persons are
to be seen:
"Where every prospect rieases. and OILY man II
vile'
Many coEtectures have been offered
upon the cause OF goItrcs and tretnism,
Labor, food. water. ar, Nc. have all
been offered as reasons for this cause.
but no attempt at explanation has boon
satisfactory. 1t is the general belief OF
scientific msn. however, that the defor-
mites are the result Of filthy per> onal
habits for several successive ycnela-
tlons.