458 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



XXXVI. Notes on the Forests of Norway.^ 

 By Colonel F. Bailey. 



Historical. 



Historical records, together with examinations of the soil, 

 especially of the bogs, render it certain that in former times 

 Norway possessed much more extensive forests than it does at 

 present, the process of denudation having been more active on the 

 mountain ranges and along the coast-line than elsewhere. As far 

 north as the 62nd degree of latitude, roots and other remnants of 

 pine forests are found in bogs at an altitude of more than 300 

 feet above the present highest limits of growing pine. Informa- 

 tion regarding the conditions which prevailed in very early times 

 is defective. Existing documents show, however, that about three 

 hundred years ago, near the mountain town of Roros, there grew a 

 pine forest so dense that it could be crossed only by a "blazed" 

 track ; but after the lapse of one hundred years this region became 

 completely devoid of forest. In other localities, for example on the 

 table-land of the Dovrefjeld, the pine has been largely supplanted 

 by birch; while the latter tree has in its turn entirely disappeared 

 from the highest mountain slopes. 



Timber was not exported in large quantities before the fourteenth 

 century; the wood trade, however, increased considerably during 

 the sixteenth century, by transactions with the Dutch, and it was 

 further developed during the seventeenth century, when dealings 

 with Great Britain were opened. It seems probable that the 

 coast forests of the south and west, including the splendid oak 

 forests which formerly flourished there, disappeared at about 

 this period ; so that, about the middle of the seventeenth century, 

 the felling of forests lying farther inland had to be commenced. 

 At the same time the mining industry was rapidly developing, 

 and led to the consumption of vast quantities of timber. 



These circumstances, together Avith forest fires, attack by insects, 

 the increase of population and development of general trade, have 

 led to the gradual disappearance of a large proportion of the 

 ancient forests ; while reckless cutting, excessive grazing, and 

 other injurious practices have interfered with natural regeneration. 

 The consequence is that the weather-beaten coasts and mountain 



1 Compiled chiefly from Norway, an official publication prepared by the 

 Norwegian Government for the Paris Exhibition of 1900. 



