304 Ten Years in Sweden. 



century, "but in the second century, only one inch in every twenty -two 

 years." At Gefle, which is a few degrees more south (60° 4' N. lat.), 

 the growth of pine is much quicker, reaching 14 inches diameter in 

 about 100 years, 18| inches in 150 years, and 23f inches in 200 years. 

 In the middle of Sweden — N. lat. 59° 20' — a pine tree of 20 inches 

 diameter at the root can be grown in 100 years, and it will be 100 

 feet high. At 20 feet from the ground, such a tree will have a dia- 

 meter of 15 or 16 inches ; thus, we see how much a little extra warmth 

 and light will do for the promotion of timber growth. 



In the proposals which are made to English capitalists to embark 

 in Swedish enterprises, forest managing and timber cutting play 

 an important part ; and in many cases great mining enterprises are 

 naturally and necessarily associated with these questions. On the 

 whole we entertain a favourable opinion of the capacities of Sweden 

 as a locality for investment, but to judge wisely of any particular 

 project a great deal of information is required of a class that is 

 usually suppressed in flourishing prospectuses ; and we should 

 strongly advise no one to invest a sixpence in such undertakings, 

 without duly considering the various facts which the " Old Bash- 

 man" has so industriously collected. We do not doubt, for example, 

 that the famous Gellivare district is one mass of possible wealth, 

 but without offering any opinion on the projects of those who have 

 undertaken to work it, a prudent speculator would require to know 

 a great deal about the peculiarities of the climate, and the probable 

 chances of inducing a sufficient population to settle in a district, 

 that without the application of much skill and capital can only 

 offer a partial subsistence to a miserable few. In considering these 

 and many other important points, the work before us offers in- 

 valuable aid ; and without intending a left-handed compliment to its 

 author, we may say that his evidence is all the more trustworthy, 

 because he has collected his information without having any specu- 

 lative object in view. The climate and soil of Sweden forbid the 

 gradual development that many other countries experience. Many 

 large districts must remain uninhabited and worthless until a 

 great change can be rapidly impressed upon them by associated 

 enterprise ; and provided judgment be exercised, a very great outlay 

 upon a comprehensive scheme would offer reasonable chances of 

 remuneration, while smaller though considerable disbursement on 

 less complete plans would be sure to fail. 



Seven-eights of the Swedish people live in the country, and it 

 has no cities that would be called large in comparison with our 

 own ; Stockholm having only 116,496 inhabitants, according to the 

 census of 1861. Next comes Gothenburg, with 38,504 inhabitants ; 

 ISTorrkopping, with 20,228 ; Malmo with about as many, and no 

 other exceeding 10,000. Greater possibilities of living by agriculture 

 have caused the southern provinces to be ten times more populous 

 than the northern ones, which can never support any considerable 

 number except the mining and timber industries can be made to 

 furnish enough money to purchase necessaries and conveniences that 

 cannot be produced on the spot. " The timber crop," says our 

 author, "is the true harvest of the north;" and to make the most 



