The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-18
THE FOREST OF yALIoMBRos<.
The Spot Made Famous by Milton, whers
tho Italian Forestry school IL.

tho italian Forestry school IL.
From u. Forester.
One Of the most attractive places In Europs
IN Vallombrosn. Every traveller in ltaD
should visit IL. No matter what his profess
sion. he will find something OF interest.
All admire the beautiful views and the forests
and enjoy the fresh. dust-free mountain air
and pure spring water. far above the bells
and yells and smells OF Italian cities.
The word vallom brosa itself means shady
Valley. "Thick as autumnal leaves that
strow the brooks In Vallombrosa. where the
Etrurian shades high oyerarched embower"
says Milton, who visited this lovely spot be.
fore he lost his sight.
Such O place In Italy. where the forests have
been recklessly wasted. where almost every
tree IL Topped and pollarded and where the
mountains are bare. the streams dry at times.
at others rushing. raging torrents, Is GER
tainly refreshing.
Yallomb rosa was formerly one of.the richest
and most famous OF the monasteries Of Europe.
and 10 now OF special interest to forestsrs be-
cause the only forestry school In Italy 10 located
there. Itmay be easily visited from Florence.
At $. Ellero. a short distance up the Arno. on
the main line 10 Rome. the traveller must
change cars. Hlgh'on the fountain top in the
distance Naombrosa 10 partly visible. as
mass Of dark green foliage surrounded BY
bare mountain sides, The litt tn train; con
eends BY means q $ seq Wheel Working p,, IN
the latter was finished In American pine.
The train passes THROUGH many well-kspt
S bloom HPr andhs Olives ftss' Srs ricR
ored costumes were working IN the soil, the
men were looping the trees, to which the vines
piouehiae the rph. brown Earth with teams
OF large. pure white oxen.
The they ed O Sns fuel
tthhs leaves cav ,, are used for fodder The twiTs
ary s Sass vni sTepS a
cranes. nuts. figs. olives. wood. fodder and
We passed through a coplce OF chestnut and
oak with large mother trees on the steep
mountanside. The ground vas carpeted with
bees humming The woods were filed with
Sds 81 SF s
tured for the not In wholesale fashion. ~
u ra@6ns the
and there choppers we're cutting the young
p1 ees S Ss enS m G the
In season many peasants are occupied in
picking the wild straw berries and raspberries
and gathering mushrooms. A large income Ia
yielded by the ches,nuts. from the -four Of
In the course OF an hour the train reaches
Sailing. the terminus. Below one. stretching
all about ono the. bare mountain tops 81 the
ey 81 W IN e a.
dens and treasures Of art t'' ''' ->''A7''' -a'
s hf s ns p 1 a2n Of sso
e iraersnt with, tn. ORANGE psriuns exhSsd
easily imagine himself IN the midst Of fo the
Black Forest at Herrenwes or st. ,Blaslen,
they had been planted. In truth the whole OF
tne;forests Of Vallombr were. planted by the
esters during the Dark Ages. 1t is to then in
often with much iniustcs that tb cir prop w&
lies were oonseated and their treasures OF art
fS se% IL of q s sSs
Of place sed in Land The9. tyss ana fuel Sr:
Soon one reaches an open meadow. sur.
phitheatre OF green. forest clad bills, It was
here, IN about the wear 1915; that San Clio
stances too lengthy to describe
fine forest OF old beech is visible. Inc silver
h ar being more hardy; is usually above the
the then e1 sy.r T Ss
red d beech and and then the chestnut The monks.
pigs which fed upon the mast, ' -'"l'
In front OF the thick walled monastery 10
comfortable. Nearby there is an old sawmiii
and ponds built by the monks for the collection
OF ice. The water here is excellent. coming
. q Pave great curative pronertiss Several
the tn n nurseries They called to their work
We presented our cards and were most cor.
daily received by the director. Comm. F. Pic
cl2li: and his aceomplished daughter. both Of
Plccioli was sent by his Government to Francs
70 study the retorestatlon Of mountain and
his report. entitled Sui Rim noschimenti Ese-
4, we were shown tho museum. tho library,
me dormttoIy. the queer old kitchen and tho
i eclSGry, With many PORTRAITS on the walls;
abst 1si'gtTR s ssads sSat
an esS students are OF two classes-those who
not The italian Government possesses only
about oo.Q0o hectares Of forest. so that the
their nay Is small. The students have f nmq
months vacation in winter. From the pros
pectns the regulations seem rather strict. The
=, Italy could not have a better object lesson.
I'M has ma IT many Years and it seems to have
as at Vailombrosa size would le rich instead OF
poor II she had them it is Doubtful though.
"3ether they would be nroperlv managed.
and with the thought that much credit is due
20 me old monks who planted these forests and
INST an excellent, system, OF agriculture.
ernment for not following this EXCELLENT ex-
.ops-the birthnlacc OF Destructive torrents.
and certainly the places above all others
which should be owned and regulatcd by tho
FLORENCE. April 10. 0''''+D' ~ w.