iv6 NATURAL HISTORY of N RWAT. 



Apples and pears of feveral kinds are found all over the coun- 

 try, and the peafants now begin to apply themfelves to the culti- 

 vation of them both, with more flail and more diligence ; but the 

 greateft part of thefe are fummer-fruit, which ripen early, the 

 winter-fruit feldom comes to perfection,, unlefs the fummer proves 

 hotter, and the winter fets in later than ufual. In this diocefe, 

 Sogneflord, Nordfiord, and Hardanger, are the beft parts for the 

 growth of fruit-trees, many of the peafants there being able to 

 clear their yearly afleiiments from their apples and cherries. Of 

 the forreft-apples, likewife, a cyder is made, but not to any great 

 amount. 



SECT. IV. 



of th^ woods But tho' in the article of fruit-trees, Norway muft be acknow- 

 gJaieraL " ledged infer or to moft countries in Europe, yet this deficiency is 

 moft liberally compenfated in the bleflings of our inexhauftible 

 forefts, a bleiling of fuch importance, that in moft provinces 

 immenfe funis are received from foreigners for marts, beams, 

 planks, boards, and the like, not to mention the home consump- 

 tion, for houfes built entirely of wood, beam upon beam, fhips, 

 bridges, piles, moles, &c. likewife for the infinite number of 

 founderies, which require fuch an immenfe quantity of fmall-coal 

 in the fuflon of metals, befides the demands for fuel and other 

 domeftic ufes , to which muft be added, that in many places the 

 woods are felled only to clear the ground and be burnt, the afhes 

 ferving for manure, and fometimes by negligence, in the drought 

 of fummer, the fire fpreading along the mofs, thoufands of trees 

 are weakened at the roots, and afterwards blown down by the 

 tirft high wind. Nor is this all ; the peafants alfo ufe an infinite 

 number of young trees for inclofures and fences for their houfes, 

 gardens, and roads, tho' there be no want of ftone to anfwer that 

 purpofe. Thefe, and all other circumftances confidered, the want 

 of wood in Norway muft have been at leaft as great as the prefent 

 abundance of it in moft provinces, had not nature indued the 

 foil, even in the moft barren mountains, with a moft lingular fe- 

 cundity in the fpontaneous production of trees ; an evidence of 

 which are the many moots from the fmalleft fiflures of the rocks, 

 which thrive much better than when carefully planted in a good 

 3 foil. 



