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