FOREST DEVASTATION. 213 



the fiords firs grow commonly at 1000 feet above the sea 

 level, and in very sheltered spots, even so high as 2,500 or 

 2,800 feet, but all these are small and stunted. Trees grow 

 best at about 300 feet above the sea level, where the soil 

 seems to be best. All over the district it is very sandy. 



' Coniferous forests are exclusively formed of fir, and are 

 very unequally divided among the three bailiwicks, being 

 in inverse proportion to the mountainous formation. The 

 higher the mountains the smaller the woods, until they 

 vanish altogether. 



' While in Nordmore there is a good deal of wood, 

 sufficient for home wants, with a small surplus for exporta- 

 tion, in ttomsdal there is much less, and in Soud- 

 more the fir is seldom seen, and, with the exception of 

 some good forests. of foliage trees, there is a great scarcity 

 of timber, which must either be brought from a distance 

 or bought at a ruinous price on the spot. Turf is known 

 and used, but not so extensively as might be expected, the 

 people preferring to destroy the last remnants of the forests 

 rather than adopt anything new. In all the three baili- 

 wicks the forests have deteriorated for the last ten or 

 twenty years on account of the increasing population and 

 the high price given for timber. 



1 The fir woods are badly managed, being thinned in the 

 usual way, and consequently there are many trees stunted 

 for want of light and room at an early period of their 

 growth. The fellings are made without judgment, and too 

 frequently. It is only lately that small timber was needed 

 for various purposes, and now the trees have no chance of 

 growing to any size, and are already vanishing in a very 

 sad manner, fortunately heath burning, so destructive in 

 other places, is here unknown. 



' There seem to be no communal forests in this county, 

 although in the public archives I found notices of some in 

 Surendalen and Surrdalen, but I had not time to make 

 inquiries. In the first district I rather think they have 

 been allotted to private individuals, although there may 

 still exist one or two of small extent. 



