526 | THE VEGETABLE WORLD. 
seemed a souvenir of France thrown at random in the midst of 
this Borean vegetation.” 
He arrived finally at Hammerfest, which is under 70° 48' north 
latitude. Here all attempts at cultivation had disappeared. The 
energies of the place are turned to commerce ; it is from curiosity 
rather than for profit or utility that a few legumes are cultivated.” © 
“ Near the city,” adds the Professor, “‘I observed rich meadows, 
that were cut once a year, and some herds of half-wild reindeer, 
which grazed and roamed about freely. We shall deceive our- 
selves, however, if we consider Hammerfest a dull or melancholy 
city. Its principal street, on the contrary, consists of very fair 
new wooden houses, well ordered, and in all respects comfortable. 
These are the habitations’of the better class of inhabitants. The 
houses of the lower classes are poorer and older ; borrowing, how- 
ever, a particular charm from the flowery turf with which they 
are covered. The roofs are formed of great squares of turf, on 
which a number of plants have germinated and grow vigorously. 
In seeing these aerial gardens I have for the first time been able 
to comprehend the phrase ‘ iz textis,’ which often occurs in the 
writings of Linnzeus, indicative of the locality. In short, it was 
upon the. roofs of houses that the learned Botanist of Upsal 
herborised at Hammerfest; indeed, I frequently borrowed a ladder — : 
myself from the proprietor in order to gather the plants which- 
grew round the chimney of one of these picturesque old houses. 
What I often found there were Cochlearea Anglica, Lychnis syl- 
vestris, Chrysanthemum inodora, Shepherd’s Purses, Th/aspi, and 
Field and Meadow Peas. In autumn, when the yellow flowers of 
Chrysanthemum inodorata are in full bloom, these hanging meadows | 
rival in beauty those of our own more genial climate, and give the | 
city a smiling physiognomy which contrasts most happily with the 
severe aspect of surrounding nature. The Ranunculus glacialis, — 
Arabis Alpina, Silene acaulis, the Snowy Saxifrage, a few Bil- 
berries, the Drapensia of Lapland, some dwarf Willows, as Sali@ 
reticulata, herbacea, &e., ail grow in the neighbourhood.” 
The learned traveller finally reaches North Cape, in latitude er? 
“How great was my surprise on landing,” he continues, “ to find — : 
myself in the middle of the richest subalpine meadows that can 
be imagined! High and tufted grass, which reached my knees. 
