NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. r 39 



beft of my knowledge, in the fame method, in which I have al- 

 ready delivered a catalogue of our vegetables. 



Aim or Elme, Ulmus, the elm- tree, is not very common here, 

 but grows to a pretty confiderable height. The bark is dried, 

 grined, and mixed by the poor among their meal \ it is likewife 

 boiled and warned in meal *. 



Afald, fee Oxel. 



Aik or Efk, the afh grows almoft univerfally here. Among 

 divers other ufes of this tree, the peafants diftil a balfam from it, 

 called Afke-Smittel, or Afke-Smalt, which every man knows how 

 to prepare, and ferves for a domeftic medicine both in internal 

 and external cafes. Dr. Lochftor, in his Differtat. de Maedic. 

 Norv. faff. p. 1 6. beftows the following encomium upon it; 

 Euporifton pro utroque Icopo Norvegis eft oleum empyreumati- 

 cum, vel potius balfamum, vulgo Afke-Smalt dictum, e fraxino 

 paratum, quod tarn interne datum, quam externe adhibitum mi- 

 rabili fe ubique commendat effe&u. 



Barlind very much refembles, both in kind and appearance, 

 the foreign yew-tree "h but feldom grows fo large, and is rather 

 of ufe in hedges, than for lingle pillars or pofts. The trunk 

 which is of very moderate bulk, is ftrong, and was formerly made 

 ufe of for fhooting-bows. The veins of this tree are fo fine and 

 reddifli, that the makers of violins in Hardanger, ufe it for that 

 and other mufical inftruments, and the joiners apply it to the 

 purpofes of fineering and inlaying. The young moots are fome- 

 times carried to Denmark, to be planted in the gardens of per- 

 fons of diftin&ion. There are beautiful hedges of it near Fre- 

 dericfberg. 



Beenved is a tree not very common, of the fame kind with the 

 Privet. It is made ufe of for fine work, being hard and folid, 

 which very well fuits the cutting inftrument ufed by the joiners 

 and turners in Norway. It grows on the higheft mountains. The 

 peafants make a decoction of this wood, which is efteemed good 

 for a confumption. 



# This powder of the bark of elms is boiled up with other food to fatten hogs 

 who thrive fo much upon it, that the virtues of the bark of elms are even proverbial 

 here. 



.+ This tree is divided into two kinds, the fummer-yew, whofe leaves are fome- 

 what lighter, and the winter-yew, which is of a darker green. Our Norway Bar- 

 lind is of the latter kind. 



Part I. O o Birk, 



