The Garden of Europe

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23339, 6 May 1939, Page 6 (Supplement)

The Garden of Europe

Memories of Prague in Springtime

JN winter, when it is impossible to cultivate the soil, Slovakian girls spend their time with needle and thread, and when the spring comes the older women take their wares to Irague, where they find ready sale among tourists. In this way many a family in remoto districts "is able* to put little by against the lean months of the year.

Much of the lovely stitcherv goes into the national costume, which is aluaj s worn 011 festive occasions. On feast days there is always a village procession led by the local musicians, blowing 011 strange instruments as old as the lolk-songs which are sung bv the women whenever the band stops*, i heso are the songs which were heard a hundred years ago in the villages of Moravia and Slovakia.

Bohemia has been called the "garden of Europe." In spring the impression made 011 the foreigner who visits is everlasting, for Prague in spring means a symphony in w lute. The town of. the numerous towers is surrounded by mountains planted with fruit trees spilling white blossoms, and wandering down to the banks of the river Moldau you pass by flowering fields along an avenue of white.

In Prague there is a society for the promotion of horticulture, which has founded a school where girls go into residence for two years. Here thev learn to be good housewives as well as skillful gardeners.

I" nuts pi ay a prominent part in their menus, and it is a familiar sight m Prague to see a housewife carefully selecting garden produce at the market. Sympathetic women all over the world whose thoughts aro centred on Czecho-Slovakia must hope that these home-loving, peace-loving women will be allowed to preserve those customs which a changing civilisation is only ioo willing to let die.