When Taken Out Of The
Pits, Where It Has Been Put To Rot, The Stench It Raises Is Quite
Insupportable; And Must Undoubtedly Be Unwholesome.
There is such a want of land in this neighbourhood, that terraces
are built over one another with loose stones, on the faces of
bare rocks, and these being covered with earth and manured, are
planted with olives, vines, and corn.
The same shift was
practised all over Palestine, which was rocky and barren, and
much more populous than the county of Nice.
Notwithstanding the small extent of this territory, there are
some pleasant meadows in the skirts of Nice, that produce
excellent clover; and the corn which is sown in open fields,
where it has the full benefit of the soil, sun, and air, grows to
a surprizing height. I have seen rye seven or eight feet high.
All vegetables have a wonderful growth in this climate. Besides
wheat, rye, barley, and oats, this country produces a good deal
of Meliga, or Turkish wheat, which is what we call Indian corn. I
have, in a former letter, observed that the meal of this grain
goes by the name polenta, and makes excellent hasty-pudding,
being very nourishing, and counted an admirable pectoral. The
pods and stalks are used for fuel: and the leaves are much
preferable to common straw, for making paillasses.
The pease and beans in the garden appear in the winter like
beautiful plantations of young trees in blossom; and perfume the
air. Myrtle, sweet-briar, sweet-marjoram, sage, thyme, lavender,
rosemary, with many other aromatic herbs and flowers, which with
us require the most careful cultivation, are here found wild in
the mountains.
It is not many years since the Nissards learned the culture of
silk-worms, of their neighbours the Piedmontese; and hitherto the
progress they have made is not very considerable: the whole
county of Nice produces about one hundred and thirty-three bales
of three hundred pounds each, amounting in value to four hundred
thousand livres.
In the beginning of April, when the mulberry-leaves, begin to put
forth, the eggs or grains that produce the silk-worm, are
hatched. The grains are washed in wine, and those that swim on
the top, are thrown away as good for nothing. The rest being
deposited in small bags of linen, are worn by women in their
bosoms, until the worms begin to appear: then they are placed in
shallow wooden boxes, covered with a piece of white paper, cut
into little holes, through which the worms ascend as they are
hatched, to feed on the young mulberry-leaves, of which there is
a layer above the paper. These boxes are kept for warmth between
two mattrasses, and visited every day. Fresh leaves are laid in,
and the worms that feed are removed successively to the other
place prepared for their reception. This is an habitation,
consisting of two or three stories, about twenty inches from each
other, raised upon four wooden posts.
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