34 VOYAGE TO SPITZBERGEN. 



stone ; but the seasons are so various, that it is im- 

 possible to state the precise time of harvest. 



The grain crop consists of a small kind of black 

 or grey oats, and a species of barley, commonly 

 called bear or big. The oatmeal has a bitter 

 burnt taste. The potatoes, however, are tolerably 

 good. 



Very little time is, in general, devoted to ga- 

 thering of manure. Sometimes they make use 

 of sea-weed either by itself, or made into small 

 dunghills with cow-dung or earth. Notwithstand- 

 ing that they have abundance of limestone and 

 peats, they seldom use lime as a manure, owing to 

 which neglect, and the want of fallowing, they have 

 frequently a plentiful crop of weeds. 



There is a very great stop to agricultural im- 

 I*ovements still to be considered. Most of the 

 tei fnts hold their farm from year to year by a 

 verbl bargain ; and the stipulations of the very 

 few w; tten l eaS es that are granted, consist chief- 

 ly in binu^g tne tenant assiduously to attend his 

 landlords nsi; n g as l ng as ne possesses his farm. 

 Now, any failure'^ t his is a forfeiture of the agree- 

 ment. But he may l a bour the land as he pleases ; 

 no question is asked ^ this head by the land- 

 lord. 



