Agricttltitre 345 



far as we can judge, in the countries of the Christiania 

 Fjord, and of the Throndhjem Fjord. And it is a 

 curious fact that, at this very day, it is in these two 

 districts that the greatest advance in agriculture has 

 been made ; in these that steam winnowing-machines 

 have ahiiost entirely superseded the old-fashioned flails, 

 and that steam ploughs and harrows are coming into 

 common use. 



We use here the general term agriculture to include 

 all means of raising products for consumption from the 

 soil. But anybody who has travelled in Norway, or 

 indeed heard any description of the country, does not 

 require to be told that the chief employment of the 

 farming population is in tending and breeding cattle 

 and horses. 



The general principles of farming in Norway closely 

 resemble those in Switzerland. The following are per- 

 haps the chief points of difference : Like Switzerland, 

 Norway is essentially a pasture and grazing country. The 

 extreme moisture of the climate and the constant supply 

 of water in the northern country makes the preserva- 

 tion of the water of much less importance there ; the 

 result is that we see much fewer water-meadows in 

 Norway than in Switzerland. On account, likewise, of 

 the abundance of rain in Norway, the making of hay 

 is attended with great difficulties. The result is that 

 there has been adopted there a system of haymaking 

 which is peculiar to the Scandinavian countries, and is 

 the first feature in their agriculture which is likely to 

 attract the attention of tlie traveller. He will probably, 

 indeed, have previously heard how the Norwegians are 

 accustomed to dry their grass, not l)y leaving it upon 



