EXCURSION TO SWEDEN. 73 



which is a quaint old building with its rough wooden beams 

 strangely decorated. Thex*e are in it carved figures of great 

 antiquity intended to represent the twelve apostles, but their 

 faces have been turned to the wall because they made the small 

 boys laugh. They are curious effigies. The ancient bell-turret, 

 as is common in many parts of Sweden, is at some distance from 

 the church. Built of wood, and with great beams supporting 

 overhanging cross-gables, these so-called kluckstaplar have a most 

 picturesque appearance. 



On the eastern shore of Lake Vettern, and north from 

 Visingso, is Mount Omberg, which was visited by the Society 

 after leaving Jonkoping. Stripped of all coverings down to the 

 Archaean gneiss, the Omberg stands out boldly above the sur- 

 rounding country — the Ostgota Plain. Its hummocky bosses of 

 rock are rounded and polished by the action of ice. The 

 property extends to about 3000 acres, and belongs to the State. 

 Half of the area consists of natural wood, chiefly spruce, and the 

 rest has been stocked by planting. For the latter, " ball plants," 

 raised in temporary nurseries, are largely used. Such nurseries 

 were seen at several points immediately beside areas about to be 

 planted. In the seed-beds, broadcast sowing is not practised, 

 but single drills, in which the seed is sown, are made about 2\ 

 inches apart. By means of dead branches thrown over a lightly 

 constructed frame-work raised 3 feet from the ground, sensitive 

 species are sheltered from frost and " frost-lifting." The first 

 wood entered by the party on their visit to Omberg was an 

 excellent one. Larch of fifty-seven years old, originally grown 

 as a pure wood, had been underplanted about fifteen years ago 

 with spruce. The larches are now about 75 feet high, straight 

 and free from side branches. Their diameter at breast-height 

 averages about 10 inches. One hundred and ninety trees of the 

 overwood, representing about 3800 cubic feet (quarter-girth) of 

 timber, are said to stand upon the acre. Irrespective of the 

 underwood and thinnings, this shows an increment of 67 cubic 

 feet per acre per annum. The timber is used locally for the 

 construction of boats. The plantation is only a small one, and 

 no definite plan has been proposed for it ; but the larch will be 

 allowed to grow as long as it remains sound. A small part of 

 the wood has beech instead of spruce for soil-protection. It is 

 desired to encourage the beech, but it is only possible to raise it 

 Under some form of shelter. Without protection, young beech at 



