248 
TRAVELS IN 
the intenfity of the cold, injure the growth of plants ; for oaks 
even, that in Europe bear almoft any degree of cold, will not 
grow on the Sneuwberg. 
The fuel ufed by the inhabitants is the dung of animals col- 
led;ed in the places where their cattle are nightly pent up, to 
prevent their deftrudion by wolves and other beafts of prey, 
and their depredation by Bosjefmans. In the fpring of the 
year this is dug out in long fquares, as turf is cut from the bog 
in the northern parts of England ; thefe are fpread out to dry, 
and then, like turf, are piled up in ftacks for the winter's con- 
fumption. At all the farm-houfes we paiTed they were bufily 
employed in cutting or in ftacking their fuel. 
The caufes that operate againft the growth of trees and 
fhrubs extend not to the gramineous plants. Grain of all 
kinds is fully as productive here as in the lower diftrids ; but 
the crops are generally a month, and fometimes two, later, 
which renders them liable to be caught in the feafon of thun- 
der that is exceedingly violent in thefe mountains, and almoft 
always attended by heavy fhowers of hail. The fineft crops 
have fometimes been completely deftroyed by thefe in the 
courfe of half an hour. The returns, however, of this feafon 
being tolerably conftant, commencing generally with the new 
year, they can in moft years prevent the evil by an early feed- 
time. But there is a calamity of a different nature attending 
their crops, againft which there feems to be no remedy. This 
arifes from the multitudes of locufts with which they are occa- 
fionally infefted. When thefe infeCts make their appearance, 
not 
