from Christiania to Bergen^ in the Simmer SI 5 
tree he planted, and which Dean Gerard Milzoo says was 
100 years old in his time, is still standing at Aga, and notwith- 
standing its age, which must exceed S50 years, it still surpasses 
in fruitfulness any of its descendants. This Thormod, there- 
fore, who must have lived in the time of Frederick II. is de- 
servedly remembered with gratitude in Hardanger. The pre- 
sent possessor of this place is the very respectable peasant 
Joanne Aga, who was a member of Storthing in 1818, and who, 
both among his fellow representatives, and among all the peo- 
ple of Christiania who knew him, acquired the most honourable 
estimation. 
Close by the clergyman’s grounds lies the farm of Oppedal, 
the largest and the highest rated in the tax-books in all Har- 
danger. On this there was formerly a church, before that of 
Ullensvang was built. In the garden belonging to the house, 
are still found remains of the churcli-yard. There was also a 
convent, of which the cellars are still to be seen. North-west 
from Oppedal on the sea-side, there is the very old house of 
Holland. The ground was the property of two sisters of high 
rank and very rich, who it is said had a private passage under 
ground from the house of the one to the other, of which there are 
yet some traces. Both Oppedal and Holland, are remarkable for 
beautiful orchards, where the finest fruit-trees are produced, es- 
pecially of that kind which is called the Holland apple, and 
which has long been in great request in Bergen. 
Ullensoang Church, and the parsonage-house, from their si- 
tuation with regard to the mountains, are exposed to the most 
violent storms. About twelve years ago, if I remember right, 
such a storm completely overthrew a wing of the latter, in such 
a manner, that it was with difficulty the Dean and his family 
escaped from the ruins with their lives. A large barn has been 
several times beaten down, and it is only by a new construction, 
and by the propping of immense beams, that it is now put in con^ 
dition to resist the force of the storm. This barn, like all the 
other buildings in Hardanger, is covered above with large thin 
flags, some of which are two or three ells square. The railing 
round the parsonage garden has been so often blown down by 
the storm, though every time the Dean put it up again stronger 
and better than before, that he has been at last obliged to change 
his plan. He has set it with one foot loose on the ground ; ac- 
