GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF TREES. 47 



The mountain ash, Sorbus aucuparia, L., Pyrus aucu- 

 paria, Gaerton, is very frequently met with everywhere in 

 Norway, and in an ordinary summer its fruit comes to 

 maturity. On mountains it extends to the limits of the 

 birch, where it stops. With its branches of red berries, 

 which offer a food greatly sought after by birds in great 

 numbers, it gives to the mountain slopes in winter a 

 peculiar and animated appearance. 



In supplying such details we are drifting away from the 

 consideration of what are generally know as forest trees to 

 what are generally known as wild fruits ; and why not ? 

 With these may be mentioned several others. 



The crab apple, Pyrus mains, L., is met with here and 

 there in a wild state up to the island of Yteros, on the 

 Drontheim fiord, 63 49' N. ; in the south it does not 

 extend above 500 metres of altitude. 



The gean, or wild cherry, Prunus avium, is met with in 

 the interior of the Sogne fiord, at Urnaes, where there is a 

 small wood of it, 12 metres, or 40 feet high, and 30 centi- 

 metres, or 20 inches in diameter. 



The bird-cherry, Prunus padus, L., is generally diffused 

 throughout the whole of Norway, even to the Tanaelv ; in 

 East Finmark, 70 20' N., its fruit ripens. In South 

 Norway it attains the altitude attained by the pine, and 

 sometimes it extends to a higher elevation. 



The blackthorn, or sloe, Prunus spinosa, L., is found in 

 South Norway, up to 60 N. 



The barberry, Berberis vulgaris, L., shows itself in a 

 sub-spontaneous state in many places up to 64 N. 



The gooseberry, Ribes grossularia, L., is found here and 

 there in a sub-spontaneous state in low-lying countries up 

 to 63 N. 



The red currant, Ribes rubrum, L., is found pretty 

 generally spread over the whole of the country up to the 

 eastern frontier of Finmark ; and on mountains it grows 

 beyond the limits of the pine. 



The juniper, Juniper us communus, L., generally presents 



