144 



SYLVAN SKETCHES. 



most of them ; but it is easy to distinguish the pine, the fir, the 

 cypress, the arbor-vitae, the andrachne, the poplar ; a sort of cedar, 

 the fruit of which ripens every third year ; and many others equally 

 well known, which, as well as the trees more peculiarly belong- 

 ing to the garden^ I omit. We saw in a valley some firs of a pro- 

 digious size and height ; and were told they owed their extraor- 

 dinary growth to their excellent situation^ being neither exposed 

 to the fury of the v/inds nor to the scorching heat of the sun. 



Dr. Clarke, in his Travels in Sweden, Nor^vay, &c. 

 describes the simple mode by which the tar is obtained 

 from the roots of the Fir-tree ; a mode, he says, exactly 

 similar v/ith that of the ancient Greeks : 



" A conical cavity is made in the ground, generally 

 in the side of a bank or sloping hill, and the roots of 

 the Fir, together with logs or billets of the same, being 

 neatly trussed into a stack of the same conical shape, are 

 let into this cavity. The whole is then covered with turf, 

 to prevent the volatile parts from being dissipated, which, 

 by means of a heavy wooden mallet, and a wooden 

 stamper, worked separately by two men, is beaten down, 

 and rendered as firm as possible above the wood. The 

 stack of billets is then kindled, and a slow combustion of 

 the Fir takes place, without flame, as in making charcoal. 

 During this combustion, the tar exudes ; and a cast-iron 

 pan being at the bottom of the funnel with a spout, 

 which projects through the side of the bank, barrels are 

 placed beneath this spout, to collect the fluid as it comes 

 away. As fast as the barrels are filled, they are bunged, 

 and ready for exportation.'" 



To the Norwegian peasants the Fir is of singular 

 utility : Dr. Clarke observes, that " their sumnium lotium 

 seems to consist in the produce of the Fir. This tree 



