25.3 



extend to nearly the farthest point north on the Scandinavian 

 peninsula, i. e., almost to latitude 72°. This is mentioned to 

 show the difference in temperature and climate between northern 

 Europe and the same latitude on this side of the Atlantic. The 

 gulf-stream ends north of Norway and the polar current skirts 

 the east coast of Greenland. 



The northern Swedish-Norwegian barley has been tried on 

 Greenland but has failed to ripen even in the most southern part. 

 At all the Danish colonies they have tried to grow gardens to 

 some extent. In the Upernavik district they have failed alto- 

 gether. At Umanak, near latitude 71°, they can grow green 

 cabbage and radishes and a little lettuce, which does not form 

 heads however. At Ritenbank, near latitude 70°, turnips and 

 dwarf parsley are added. When the country settlers around 

 Godthaab, latitude 64°, go to town, that is the trading post, 

 they bring with them small bouquets of parsley as special gifts 

 to their friends. In the most southern part peas have been 

 grown large enough for the table although they do not ripen. 

 Here there have also been some successful attempts to grow 

 potatoes. But this part of Greenland is outside of the polar 

 circle. 



When the vegetable fare is so meager in the Danish colonies 

 what would it be at Etah north of latitude 78°? Of course, 

 none of our vegetables can be grown, and the native plants fit 

 for food are very few. The only berries reported so far north are 

 the crowberry, Empetnim nigrum, scarcely used as a food by 

 white people, and a small blueberry, Vaccinium uliginosiim 

 microphyllum. The alpine blackberry, Mairania alpina, stops 

 at latitude 70°, the common bearberry, Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi 

 at 66° 40', the so-called mountain cranberry, Vaccinium Vitis- 

 idaea at 76°, the small cranberry, Oxycoccus Oxycoccus micro- 

 phyllus, at 64° 30', the blueberry, Vaccinium uliginosum, at 

 64°, the cloudberry or baked-apple-berry, Ruhiis Chamaemorus, 

 Sit 64° 15', the dwarf red dewberry, R. saxatilis, at 63° 30'. 

 The only plants that can be used for food in the neighborhood 

 of Etah and on Ellesmere Land are Rhodiola rosea, a species of 

 stonecrop, of which the thick red root is eaten, mountain sorrel. 



