:* 



8WKDEJT. 



SWEDEN. 



aaTfeahU rivwa in Sweden are tboM which hT bam 

 by arTrbe rivers eouth of N. lat have generally a 

 hart OOOTM. but north of 60' N. Ut thn are Mreral which ran above 

 500 mil-. dttnpi<t-c trim the higher portion of the Kiolen range, 

 ad Mling i"o the Onlf of Bothnia. Nearly all of them run from 

 naHh-wwt to south-east The lanreat U the Dot, which ii formed by 

 th* junction (near Falun) of the Qatar- Dal, which traverse* the Siljan 

 iMti, ,0,1 th, Wa*tr-Dal, or Fulu. Both of theae head-streams run 

 Marlr outh-east from their source! on the eastern alope of the moun- 

 tain* that inoloae Lake Famund. Near 60* W N. lat, 16 20' E. long., 

 the Dal tuna art by north, and expands into a seriea of lakes for 

 about 50 miles. At Elf Carlby the Dal contract* and forms a maguifi- 

 eaat cataract, below which it runs in a compact stream for about 6 

 miles nearly duo north into the Gulf of Bothnia, a little south of Gene, 



Farther north is the /.ittme, whose most remote branches originate 

 on the southern declivity of Mount Sylfiellen. Its upper course is in 

 the elevated ralley of Herjedalen, and is very rapid. East of 15 

 K. Km*, it descends into the lower country, forming numerous small 

 mtmracts. In the lower country it often extends to the width of 2 or 

 S miles, so as to resemble a lake. This river fulls into the Gulf of 

 Bothnia south of the town of Soderhamn, after having run about 250 

 tnflaa. Farther north the Gulf of Bothnia receives the Liungan, the 

 Indals, and the Angerman, which are described under ANUEKMAN- 

 LASD; farther north the Umea, the Skelleftea, the Pitea, the Lulea, 

 the Calix, and the Tornea, all of which are noticed under BOTHNIA. 



Climate. The difference in the climate of various places in Sweden 

 is chiefly to be attributed to the differences of latitude and elevation 

 above the sea-lercL The most northern point of the country lies U.J 

 degrees beyond the polar circle ; the moat southern is situated nearly 

 11 degrees to the south of it A small portion of the country is so 

 elevated that it is always covered with snow, and large tracts along 

 the sea-coast are only a few feet above the sea. The elevation at which 

 perpetual snow occurs is less as we proceed farther north. Near 60 

 X. lat. it is about 5600 feet, at 61 N. lat 5400 feet, at 62 N. lat 

 5100 feet, at 61 N. lat 4650 feet, and at 71 N. lat 2300 feet above the 

 sea. The inclined plane in the most northern district of .Sweden rises 

 near the boundary of Norway to 2000 feet above the sen. The fol- 

 lowing table gives the mean temperatures of five places in Sweden, 

 south of 60* N. lat, and of Edinburgh and London : 



On comparing the climate of Edinburgh and London with the climates 

 of five towns in Sweden, it appears that the mean temperature of the 

 summer it greater in three of the Swedish towns than at London, 

 and in all five greater than at Edinburgh. It is remarkable that the 

 mean temperature of the summer of Wexio exceeds that of Edinburgh 

 by more than 6 degrees, though Wexio is 500 feet above the sea, and 

 nearly a degree farther north than Edinburgh ; but the difference of 

 the mean temperature of winter is 10 degrees in favour of Edinburgh. 

 The above table shows the result of several years' observations, and 

 provea that the climate of Southern Sweden is not so cold as is com- 

 monly supposed. At times however the maximum cold in winter is 

 extremely intense. On the 20th of January, 1814, the thermometer 

 at Stockholm sunk to 26-6 below zero, whilst at London and Edin- 

 burgh it never sinks to zero. On the 8rd of July, 1814, the thermo- 

 meter at Stockholm rose to 96-8 in the shade, a degree of heat never 

 experienced in the British Islands ; but such extremes of cold and heat 

 never last mure than a few days. 



Of flre places north of 60 N. lat the mean temperatures, deduced 

 from observations made during a aeries of years, are as follows : 



most northern are nearly eight degrees of latitude distant from one 

 another, and the moat northern is more than 1000 feet more elevated 

 above the sea-level. This fact is to be attributed to the long stay of 

 the sun above the horizon in that season, which at Kuoutekia lasts 

 more than three weeks. This circunutauce enables the inhabitants 

 of theae northern countries to cultivate a few plants which require a 

 sudden heat, as barley, which is sown and reaped within seven weeks. 

 The winters however are extremely cold : north of 61 N. lat quick- 

 silver frequently freezes, a fact which indicates that the thermometer 

 descends at least 40 below zero. Hot summer almost immediately 

 follows cold winter, and the winter almost immediately follows 

 summer, spring and autumn being extremely short The annual 

 quantity of rain is not known for the northern provinces, nor for the 

 interior. In the low country bordering on the Baltic it amounts to 

 between 21 and 22 inches ; the snow is probably not included in this 

 account 



At EnoutekU only barley and turnips succeed, but only one crop 

 out of three is worth the labour. Rye cannot be grown with advantage 

 north of 66 N. lat, and so far also the cultivation of hemp extends. 

 Oats do not ripen north of 64 K. lat, and up to this latitude wheat 

 U cultivated in a few spots, but in general it cannot be grown north 

 of 62 N. lat Flax does not ripen to seed north of 63 N. lat 

 Tobacco rarely succeeds north of 61 N. lat Potatoes are cultivated 

 as far as 66 N. lat, but cabbages only to 61 N. lat. Hops grow as 

 far as 62 N. lat Cherry-trees are met with as far north as 63 

 N. lat, but other fruit-trees rarely beyond 60 N. lat In the plain 

 of Scania mulberry-trees, chestnut-trees, and walnut-trees are planted, 

 and the fruit ripens. The pine, fir, and birch extend to the most 

 northern parts of Sweden. Alders are found up to 63 N. lat, ash 

 and willows to 62 N. lat, and elm-, oak-, and lime-trees to 61 N. lat 

 Beech grows in the forests up to 57 N. lat. Pine-trees cease to grow 

 at an elevation of 3000 feet below the snow-line. Bears are not met 

 with above 3000 feet, and at that height barley ceases to ripen. Kirs 

 are only found at 2600 feet under the snow-line, but full-grown birch 

 within 1800 feet In the lakes which occur at Buck an elevation only 

 the Salmo alpinui is found. Some bushes and the dwarf-birch grow 

 at 1200 feet below the snow-line, and so far the Arctic Bramble (Rubui 

 arclicut) is found ; but above them trees and bushes cease to grow, 

 and the mountains are covered with brown plants and lichens. 



Agriculture and Productions. The climate and soil are less favour- 

 able to the growth of grain in Sweden than in most other parts of 

 Europe. It is stated that in seven years one year occurs in which the 

 crops entirely fail; that in three years the produce is indifferent, and 

 in three rather plentiful. The principal objects of cultivation are 

 wheat, rye, barley, oats, mixed grain, and peas. Since the introduc- 

 tion of the cultivation of the potatoe the produce is generally 

 sufficient for home consumption. Other objects of cultivation are 

 hemp, flax, tobacco, buckwheat, carrawayseed, hops, and madder. 

 Common kitchen vegetables are grown in the southern provinces of 

 Sweden. Cherries, apples, and pears are abundant only in the southern 

 districts ; cranberries and other berries abound in the northern 

 districts. 



The forests are very large, covering about 48,000 square miles, or 

 more than a fourth of the surface. But a great portion of the northern 

 provinces (north of 64 N. lat.) is destitute of trees. The woods 

 however contain a comparatively small number of timber-trees. In 

 most parts only small trees occur, and at the distance of many feet 

 from each other, the intervals being bare or covered with underwood. 

 Accordingly the export of timber, though considerable, ia not in pro- 

 portion to the immense extent of the woods. But these forests supply 

 charcoal and firewood, of which a great quantity is consumed, as Sweden 

 has no coal. Tar and pitch are extracted from the roots of pine-trees, 

 and are articles of export Several kinds of coniferous trees and 

 birch compose the greater part of these forests. There are small oak 

 and beech forests in the southern districts. The immense tracts of 

 country which are still uninhabitable, are generally used as pasture- 

 ground ; the domestic animals must be kept in stables from four to six 

 or seven months, and their number in consequently limited by the 

 extent of the meadows. Cattle and sheep are the most numerous, 

 but the former are of small size, and the wool of the sheep is coarse. 

 In the northern districts reindeer are kept by the Laplanders. Wild 

 animals are very numerous, especially in the northern parts, but some 

 of the larger size begin to be scarce, as bears and beavers. A few 

 wild reindeer are still found in some places. Wolves, lynxes, gluttons, 

 foxes, hares, squirrels, martens, and others are common. Lemmings 

 sometimes come down in large numbers from the Kiolen Mountains, 

 and lay waste the low country. Elk and deer are found in some 

 of the forests. Among wild birds are eagles, capercailzies, and 

 woodcocks. The seas of Sweden contain abundance of fish. It is 

 stated that 88 different kinds of salt- and fresh-water fish are brought 

 to the markets of Goteborg, among which turbot is common. There 

 are also oysters and lobsters. The fishery in the Baltic gives sub- 

 sistence to a great number of families. A smaller kind of herring*, 

 called strominga, is caught in the summer along the east coast, 

 fish is very numerous. Salmon is caught abundantly in almost all 

 the rivers and lakes. 



Sweden is rich in minerals. Gold is found on the table-land of 

 Smaland. Silver is worked at Sala, in Westeras-Liin, and at eome 



