NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. tot 



dale the peafants, which according to Tavernier, is alfo pra&ifed 

 in Perfia, have contrived aqueducts from the upper grounds to 

 the lower, Thefe aqueducts are formed of hollowed timbers, 

 which are not very expensive, and are carried on from the neareft 

 fpring to the field.; out of thefe the water is thrown in fhovels 

 over the field, after the manner ufed at fea for wetting the fails, 

 that they may draw the better and hold more wind. 



As to the other principal caufe of this fertility, I have, in thefirft Heat betwixt 

 chapter on the climate, fliewn, that by the compreffion of the rays tains. 

 of the fun, collected betwixt the mountains, as betwixt the lofty 

 houfes in Copenhagen, the fun is extremely hot, or rather fo in- 

 tenfe, that without the fummer breezes daily blowing from the 

 fea along the creeks, whereby this heat is tempered, it would of 

 all things be the moll pernicious to the ploughed land. Hence 

 our harveft is as forward, as theirs in Denmark or Lower Saxony ; 

 though our feed- time be later; yet the nights being fhort, the 

 ground remains in a continual warmth, thus the growth of the 

 corn advances without any check or intermiiTion, that within the 

 fpace of nine weeks the farmer has houfed his corn. For the 

 better clearing and confirming this point, I mall fet down the 

 words of a confummate Swedifh naturalift, the celebrated Linnaeus, 

 in his difiertation on the natural planting of Vegetables. " To- Tranfaaiona 

 wards the pole the fummers are fhorter, and the days longer. Idd. of ra- 

 The fummer in France being longer than in Lapland, the fruits p? c «! V0,1 '" 

 ripen fooner in Lapland than in France. About Paris the cool 

 nights are longer, during which the growth being checked, they 

 require the longer time for their full maturity; whereas in Lap- 

 land, the fummer having little or no night, the fruits are in an 

 uninterrupted progrefs. In 1732, for inftance, corn was fown on 

 the 31ft of May, and in the barn by the 28 th of July, having 

 attained its due ripenefs in 5 8 days. In the fame year rye was 

 likewife fown on the 31ft of May, and cut the 5 th of Auguft, 

 ripening in 66 days; this happened in Lulaa Lapland, whereas 

 further fouth there was no fuch forwardnefs." 



SECT. III. ! 



Agriculture in Norway, is not fo burdenfom to the farmer as 

 in other parts; for here he does not toil in the fields of an oppref- 



five 



