36 NATURAL HISTORY of N RWAY* 



rocks, ftones, and mines, Thefe I fliall treat of according to my 

 ability, till fome fuperior pen gives a more perfect account of 

 them, to which this imperfect EiTay may prove an inducement. 



As the mountains of Norway, in general, confift of rocks, in- 

 termixed with quarries of marble, free-ftone, fand-ftone, flate, 

 mill-ftone, &c. which, towards the fea, are almoft ftripped of 

 earth, by the force of the winds, and in the creeks, and further 

 in the country, are covered indeed with earth, but not more than 

 a few yards deep, and very often lefs, one would be apt to think, 

 that below this ilender covering, the whole kingdom of Norway 

 is but one folid ftone, only of a different nature, figure, and 

 height. But the error of fuch a conclufion is evident, not only 

 from the many deep creeks running up the country, but frefli- 

 water lakes, fwamps, and fens, in fome of which, though founded 

 with lines of feveral hundred fathoms, no bottom has ever been 

 found. And to this may be added, that however mountainous 

 and craggy Norway in general is thought to be, yet it affords 

 many champaign well cultivated tracts of fix, eight, or ten leagues^ 

 and more in extent, as Jedderen, the lordfhip of Nedenaes, He- 

 demark, and other parts, which are a confiderable exception to the 

 general rule. 



SECT. II. 



The foa of The foils, as in other countries, are very different here, con- 

 ; verai kmds. £^ n g Q f a b] ac k mo uld, fand, loom, chalk, gravel, turff, mud, 

 &c. In many places, when the inhabitants are digging deep for 

 a fpring in dry ground, all thefe kinds are found lying over each 

 other in unequal ftrata, and three or four fucceffions of them. 

 The black mould which generally lies uppermoft, is exceed- 

 ingly fine and mellow, and fit for all forts of vegetables ; info- 

 much, that if not damaged by the cold, which feldom happens 

 in the diocefe of Bergen, the hufbandman finds his labour amply 

 compenfated; for the ground yields five, fix, or feven fold, and 

 fometimes even more. His harveft confifts for the moft part of 

 barley and oats, with fome rye, and here and there peas and 

 buck- wheat ; but of thefe I mall treat more fully when I come 

 to the vegetables, or products of the earth. I have only to add 

 here concerning the foil of Norway, that betwixt the mountains, 

 and in the diocefe of Bergen, it moftly confifts of an affemblage 



of 



