Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-07-02
ITALIAN GARDENS.
The Cedar. Cyprens and the Oranu.
Tree MinRic Their Foliage.

The Cedar. CypresH and the Oranun
Tree MinRic Their Foliage.
Perhaps nothing about. Italian gnr.
dens strikes us as SO wonderful ma tho
nrbor walks, or pcrgolas, where nature
seems so absolutely docile to the hand
OF man. The desire Is to make q dense
shaded retreat where one can shut
out the hot sun-and to create this trees
Of a great many different sorts have
been planted close together and their
branches so carefully interviewer TINT
they form complete trellis on the two
sides and above, SO that cedar, cypress.
orange and lemon trees mingle their
foliage. all seeming to be lighted up
by the pale golden globes Of the fruit.
With us the mcrcst twigs Of such trees
would be supposed to have stubborn
individuality, rendering 1t impossible
to train them TO take the place Of vines.
In Italy for centuries everything has
been done TO create Il grateful shade at
noon. where ono can rest or sleep and
leave the world outside to the cicadas.
that when thousands of them talSc
voice together at once, mike rather n
soothing sound. Along the terraces Of
the villa Carlottn, on the lake of
Como. these covered arbor walks lead
Into groves Of ilexcs, and there until
past midsummer out of the silence and
GOODNESS the nIghtingales sing not only
all night, but all day long.
In spite of the lavish beauty of the
lnnd, the Impression that remains after
summer travel in Italy Is of the In
habitunts living very close to nature,
almost suborlinating her operations
TO their OWN needs. Nature Is SO prun-
ed. 30 tended, her least effort SO press
cd into the service OF man. The plumy
Expresses, II Is true, have nothing to do
but stand sentinel by the belvIderc ter
races; SO with the ilexcs But the pop
lars IRE trimmed to fagpoles for the
sake of fngots. and every leaf of tho
mulberry trees, across which the vines
fling their festoons and garlands, is
destined 10 feed the silkworms, and
as soon as the mnggots are ready to
eat, tho peasants, with huge bags, mount
the trees and strip each branch Of its
foliage. The olive orchards that mako
silver mist on the hillsidcs are busy
perfectng their useful harvest.
Wherever ledge of rock offers an
italian peasant makes n garden, carry
| Ing IN the soil sometimes into almost
| inaccessible places. But there he will
plant lcrks, herbs, salnd and beans, be-
sides patch Of wheat, the latter not
for the half lonf Of bread It might
make, but 10 furnish straw to plait
hats In winter
Nature Is no niggard. The little red
poppies blossom out OF every Granny
and chink and make a blaze Of color
In the most unexpected places Olean-
derH have why OF tossing their tufts
of rosy blossoms along the white walls,
Bengal roses, Glove pinlts, carnations
and larkspurs grow wherever they can
be tended and n little rill of water d.
rectcd TO their use. but the summer of
Italy Is Of grent heat, and after the
great grsh of flowers in spring the
vauntcd Italian gardens remain dry
Intersections OF gravclcd paths with
clipped hedges. flights of steps, urns
and statues. Nothing can be dcarer to
artistic taste, hut for the real Joy of
gardening nothing can be equal to
what the poet Gray called having "A
garden of your own, where you plant
and transplant and are dirty and
amused. "-lhladclph Ledger.