Ch. ii. in Sweden. 287 



would have been touched with a plough here. 

 These were lands in which every five or ten yards 

 there were large stones or rocks, round which the 

 plough must necessarily be turned, or be lifted 

 over them ; and the one or the other is generally 

 done according to their size. The plough is very 

 light, and drawn by one horse ; and in ploughing 

 among the stumps of the trees when they are low, 

 the general practice is to lift it over them. The 

 man who holds the plough does this very nimbly, 

 with little or no stop to the horse. 



Of the value of those lands for tillage, which 

 are at present covered with immense forests, I 

 could be no judge; but both the Swedes and the 

 Norwegians are accused of clearing these woods 

 away too precipitately, and without previously 

 considering what is likely to be the real value of the 

 land when cleared. The consequence is, that for 

 the sake of one good crop of rye, which may al- 

 ways be obtained from the manure afforded by 

 the ashes of the burnt trees, much growing timber 

 is sometimes spoiled, and the land perhaps after- 

 wards becomes almost entirely useless. After the 

 crop of rye has been obtained, the common prac- 

 tice is to turn cattle in upon the grass, which may 

 accidentally grow up. If the land be naturally 

 good, the feeding of the cattle prevents fresh firs 

 from rising ; but if it be bad, the cattle of course 

 cannot remain long in it, and the seeds, with which 

 every wind is surcharged, sow the ground again 

 thickly with firs. 



On observing many spots of this kind both in 



