FLORA. 271 
brusnika, the cranberry, and the like are found. In the 
neighbourhood of the Enare Lake the trees and plants 
show a prouder bearing. Here may be seen one of the 
first of the forests, but agriculture scarcely yet appears, 
only potatoes, cabbages, and turnips are raised as a kind 
of experiment in the garden attached to the parsonage at 
Utsjoki, Corn crops ripen where the Ivolajoki flows into 
the Enare, rye and hemp in Muenioniska, In Uleaborg 
the apple-tree produces blossoms but no fruit, excepting 
in Ny-Carleby. Above Gammal-Garleby oats ripen, and 
root crops are pretty generally cultivated. Flax grows, 
but it is rather coarse, in the northern part of Wasa lin 
or county, but it, does not grow well further to the north. 
Wheat flourishes around Abo, pease in Tavastland, hops 
in Wasa lin. Tobacco will grow in the midland of Oster- 
botten, and over the whole land in the south, but it is 
little cultivated. Of trees growing in the south, the 
willow grows further to the north than it does in Sweden, 
but the ash not so far to the north as it does there. The 
oak is rarely found beyond 61° N. lat., and it appears 
manifestly to have shrunk within its northern limits in 
the course of the last century. The lime-tree grows wild 
in the south-east of Oster-botten ; further to the north it 
grows only exceptionally, and there it must be planted 
artificially. Alders are met with first scattered over 
Tavastland. They flourish also in Wasa, where also 
cherries ripen. 
‘The stiff high-stemmed Fichte, or pines, are one of the 
most important sources of income for Finland, and also 
the Tanne (firs) lend to the forests of the land a stern and 
a somewhat sullen character even in the middle of summer 
when one passes into them from blue lakes and the bright 
green grass carpeted meadows. A more cheerful aspect 
is presented by the forests in winter, when the never-failing 
green of the conifers contrasts pleasantly with the white 
snow coverlet of the ground, and the fresh scent of the 
fir trees ever reminds one of the undying youth of Nature 
. herself, Curing what. may be called her winter sleep. To 
