VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS OP NORWAY. 259 



There is what the French call a peculiar precocite in the vege- 

 tation of the north to ripen ; and it requires some little time be- 

 fore this peculiarity is lost by transplanting into a more southern 

 climate. The same writer remarks that from experiments made 

 with apples from the north of Europe, " qu'elles se montrent plus 

 precoces que les niernes plantes, qui sont restees dans leur situa- 

 tion premiere, bien qu'elles soient cultive'es 1'une a cote de 

 1'autre." And he therefore adds that it will be wise to look to 

 the north for some of its vegetable treasures. There can be little 

 doubt, I think, that our pomology would be considerably im- 

 proved by introducing some of the best Norwegian kinds into our 

 gardens and orchards. There are, I believe, about 18 va- 

 rieties peculiar to Norway. 



APRICOT (Armeniaca vulgaris, L. "Apricos"). Will ripen 

 in average summers as far north as lat. 61. Usually grown 

 against walls. 



BRAMBLE (Rubits fruticosus, L. " Bjorneba?r ") With other 

 species grow as far north as lat. 66. " The Arctic bramble " 

 (fiubus Arcticus, " Aakerbaer ") grows in great quantities on the 

 banks of Tysfjord, lat. 68, and is found as far north as lat. 70, 

 where in warm summers it will ripen. The delicate aromatic 

 flavour of its fruit renders it worthy of cultivation. 



CHERRY (Prunus avium, L. " Kirsebaer "). Doubtful whether 

 found wild in the southern parts of the country. In Tjrnajs 

 parish, one of the interior arms of the Sogne Fjord, lat. 61, there 

 is . a regular forest of these trees about miles in length. 

 When cultivated, the cherry will grow as a standard as far north 

 as lat. 66. There are 22 varieties of cherries under cultiva- 

 tion. 



CHESTNUT (Castanea vesca, Giirt. "Castanie") Grows on the 

 south coast up to Christiania, where it ripens in warm summers. 



CLOUDBERRY (Rul>us chamcemonis, L. " Multebser "). Grows 

 everywhere on marshy places. Great quantities come annually 

 from Nordland and Finmark for sale in Christiania. These have 

 a finer aroma than is the case with those growing more to the 

 south. Formerly the Norwegian government used to i'arm the 

 " multer " marshes in Finmark ; and even now they are held in such 

 importance that the Storthing of 1854 made a special enactment 

 concerning them, to the effect " that no one may pluck the 

 berries on the 'multer' lands in Finmark and Nordland, unless 



