Ch. i. in Norway. 273 



the number of cattle must be proportionably di- 

 minished, and the greatest part of the higher 

 grounds would become absolutely useless ; and 

 it might be a question in that case, whether the 

 country upon the whole would support a greater 

 population. 



Notwithstanding, however, all these obstacles, 

 there is a very considerable capacity of improve- 

 ment in Norway, and of late years it has been 

 called into action. I heard it remarked by a pro- 

 fessor at Copenhagen, that the reason why the 

 agriculture of Norway had advanced so slowly 

 was, that there were no gentlemen farmers to set 

 examples of improved cultivation, and break the 

 routine of ignorance and prejudice in the conduct 

 of farms, that had been handed down from father 

 to son for successive ages. From what I saw of 

 Norway I should say, that this want is now in 

 some degree supplied. Many intelligent mer- 

 chants, and well informed general officers, are at 

 present engaged in farming. In the country round 

 Christiana, very great improvements have taken 

 place in the system of agriculture ; and even in 

 the neighbourhood of Drontheim the culture of 

 artificial grasses has been introduced, which, in 

 a country where so much winter feed is necessary 

 for cattle, is a point of the highest importance. 

 Almost every where the cultivation of potatoes 

 has succeeded, and they are growing more and 

 more into general use, though in the distant parts 

 of the country they are not yet relished by the 

 common people. 



VOL. I. T 



