during a short visit to Iceland in 1846. 31 



of deep hollows and cracks upon which a much more luxuriant 

 vegetation occurs. This is called a u forest M by the Icelanders, 

 being well-covered with low bushes, the highest not exceeding 

 six feet, of Betula glutinosa, B. intermedia, B. nana (remarkably 

 large), and beautiful but dwarf willows, especially Salix lanata 

 and S.phylicifolia. The neighbourhood of the Geysers does not 

 appear to be rich in plants, nor does the hot water, which issues 

 from the ground in a state of active ebullition, seem to hasten 

 their growth. I could not perceive that individuals growing in 

 the warm mud by the side of steaming currents were at all more 

 forward than others at a distance from the heated spots. It is 

 stated that vegetation continues on this peculiar tract throughout 

 the year, but that the want of sun-light will not allow the plants 

 so situated to benefit by their exemption from the frost and snow 

 to which their neighbours are subject. 



During a visit of one day to the head of Hval Fiord, a deep 

 inlet bounded by mountains situated about forty miles towards 

 the north from Reikiavic, I had an opportunity of examining 

 the damp ledges on the face of a mountain of moderate elevation 

 (estimated by us at 2500 feet), and thus learned something of 

 the alpine vegetation. It may be observed that the slopes of the 

 mountains are usually quite dry and therefore perfectly barren, 

 and that it is only in the few cases where the lava is more solid 

 or the rocks basaltic that wet spots occur. The following plants 

 may be mentioned as inhabiting the steep and moist slope of 

 this mountain, named Reinevalla-hals : Draba rupestris, Arabis 

 alpina, Silene acaulis, Stellaria cerastoides, Saxifraga rivularis, 

 S. Hir cuius (also not unfrequent in the bogs), S. nivalis and 

 Veronica alpina. On its exposed and nearly dry but peaty 

 summit there were Viola palustris, Sibbaldia procumbens, Alche- 

 milla alpina, Andromeda hypnoides and a few others. 



There is great reason to think that a rich and almost unex- 

 plored field for botanical research exists in the northern part of 

 Iceland. All the accounts of that part of the island describe it as 

 by far the most fertile portion of the country. It is also believed 

 that the eastern districts would well repay examination. 



The wet climate of Iceland and its short and cloudy summer 

 render it very unfavourable to vegetation. We could not learn 

 from the Governor and other intelligent gentlemen that any arable 

 land exists in the country, (unless the cultivation of potatoes in 

 the northern district may be considered as an exception,) and at- 

 tempts to grow vegetables in what may in courtesy be denomi- 

 nated gardens, do not seem to be often made by any of the in- 

 habitants except those of Danish origin. On the 3rd of July the 

 people of Reikiavic were planting out turnips in their little plots 

 of garden ground, and potatoes were just coming up in a few 



