$24 THE VEGETABLE WORLD. 
Montpelier, to whom Botanical Geography is indebted for many 
fine observations, made a voyage along the western coast of 
Norway, from Drontheim to North Cape, in recording which 
he has traced with a vigorous hand the picturesque vegetation of 
that country. “On the 28th of June,” he says, “we arrived at 
Drontheim. While embarking I was much surprised to sce 
Cherry-trees bearing fruit about the size of peas. Lilac, the 
Mountain Ash, the Black Currant Bush, and the Iris germanica 
wete covered with expanding flowers. My astonishment ceased, 
however, when I learnt that the spring had been a very fine one. 
The most common tree in the gardens and streets of the town is 
the Mountain Ash. I remarked also four Oaks (Quercus robur), 
which appeared to suffer from the cold. In short, upon the west 
coast of Norway the northern limit of the oak lies half a degree 
south of Drontheim. 
‘The Ash is a more hardy tree, but it never attains the dimen- 
sions of the Oak in Sweden, and in latitude 69° 18 I noted the 
last of them. The Lime lives at Drontheim, as does the Poplar, 
the Blue Melilot, and the Chestnut-tree. The Common Lilac 
blooms in every garden. All fruit-trees are cultivated on espaliers. 
Even on the most favoured exposures, the apple, pear, and plum 
do not ripen every year. In the environs of Drontheim bouquets 
are formed of Elder blossom, of Birch blossom, and Fir tops, 
intermingling with the Ash, Maple, and Aspen; Cherry blossom, 
Hazels, and Junipers crown the pyramid. The upper fields 
are dry and well exposed, while the meadows occupy the lower 
ground. This fine fresh landscape has something exceedingly 
pleasing about it, although severe and cold. : 
“Towards the north I pushed on to Cape Ladehamer, which is 
crowned with light foliaged Birches. On the east is the cascade 
of Leerfes, where the accumulated waters of the Nidelven pre- 
cipitate themselves over the rocks in the middle of a black forest of 
ines. I arrived there at midnight. The sun and its surround- 
ing rays, which mingled together on the horizon, projected a hazy 
doubtful light upon the landscape, for at this period of the year 
the sun scarcely sinks beneath the horizon in this latitude, and 
the scattered lights which burn in the heavens towards the north 
already announce that it will soon reappear. 
