i$6 - NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 



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 fkill 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, 

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

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

 clear their yearly afleffments from their apples and cherries. Of 

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

 amount. 



SECT. IV. 



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

 generai. ledged inferor to moft countries in Europe, yet this deficiency is 

 moft liberally compenfated in the bleffings of our inexhauftible 

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

 immenfe fums 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 fufion 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 aihes 

 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 

 firft high wind. Nor is this all \ the peafants alfo ufe an infinite 

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

 wardens, 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 Ipontaneous production of trees ; an evidence of 

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

 which thrive much better than when carefully planted in a good 

 3 foiL 



