THE SCANDINAVIAN MOUNTAINS. 127 
ment which attends researches on this subject, and which is in 
itself a sufficient motive with those who find a pleasure in the 
study, investigations regarding the boulders and the nature of 
the loose strata of the earth likewise offer something which may 
be of utility in an ceconomical point of view. 
Ist. In mining, something serviceable would be found in a 
knowledge of this subject. If, for example, a valuable mineral 
is met with among gravel or boulders, by tracing out the fur- 
rows in the same tract, we may be certain that, according to 
their indication, the situation of the mineral in the solid rock 
will be met with. If the boulders are small, the place whence 
they came may be far distant, particularly if but few specimens 
of them are to be found; but if the boulders are large and the 
specimens numerous, their proper situation is not far off. Thus 
about forty years since, a considerable quantity of copper ore- 
boulders were found to the southward of the Fahlun mines, and 
Mr. Wegelin discovered the original place before Broddbo Albit- 
granit on the Varggard hills. In the same manner, from the 
alum-slate boulders in Nerike, may be found the stratum of 
alum-slate. ‘There is also no reason now to be led astray, and 
expect to find Arholm sandstone in the rocks in any place in 
Uppland. In any new shafts sunk in searching for ore, when, 
after a trifling depth, a bed of clay occurs which cuts off the con- 
tinuation of the minerals, we should not be deterred by this, or 
be uncertain as to what should be done to find the direction of 
the ore. 
2nd. By a knowledge of the direction of the boulders, we may 
also be able to throw light on the labours of the agriculturist. One 
of the principal objects in agriculture is, to determine the com- 
ponent parts of the soil. In most cases the soil is composed 
more or less of fine sand, or slime of different minerals. To judge 
of the fitness of the soil for different sorts of seeds, grass, and 
trees, it is necessary to know of what substances it is composed; 
for even if it were so that it was composed of nothing more than 
what is termed sand-earth (sand-jord), it is by no means in- 
different whether it consists of Rapakivi-sand, as in Finland, of 
Felspar-sand, as in Dalecarlia, whose so-called clay (leror) is 
nothing more than a very fine felspar slime; or of sandstone- 
sand, as is probably the case with the wastes of West Géthland. 
This is to be determined with certainty by a good chemical ana- 
lysis ; but, besides that this is difficult if it is to be done so as 
