The extenlive forefts of Norway, which furniih fuch riches to
the proprietors, and fo much employment to the natives, are applied
to the following purpofes :
i. For fpars, beams, and planks, which are exported in fuch
large quantities. 2. For charcoal, which is required for the
fmelting of the ores, for the glafs furnaces, and other manufactures.
The wood ufed for this purpofe is ufually of an inferior
fort, and chiefly in the inner parts, where the tranfport of
the planks is too expeniive. 3. For building, the greateft part
of the houfes in Norway being conftrufted o f wood; for although
there is plenty of ftone, yet the tranfporting of the materials,
and the lime, are too expeniive for common ufe. 4. For
the roads, which, in the more northern parts, are almoft entirely
formed with wood. 5. For turpentine, for which the oldeft
trees are moftly ufed. 6. For fencing and enclofing the fields,
quickfet hedges being almoft unknown. The woods ufed for en-
clofures is chiefly pine or fir, and muft be renewed every three or
four years. 7. For fuel. 8. For manure, by the fame procefs of
burning the trees and manuring the foil with the aihes, which is
praitifed in Sweden, and is fo deftruftive to the forefts.
Befides thefe general ufes derived from the forefts, the particular
trees are beneficially employed to the following purpofes.
The bark of the pine or fir, and alfo of the elm, which is not
common in Norway, is dried, ground, and mixed among meal,
and is boiled up with other food to feed fwine, who thrive much
upon it.
1 The
The birch, which flourifhes in thefe. northern regions, is particularly
ufeful for various purpofes. It is more generally ufed
for fuel than any other wood. The outer bark, or the white rind,
on account of its firmnefs and fap, eafily efcapes putrefa&ion
even in the dampeft places, and for this reafon is employed for
covering the roofs of the houfes, in order to keep out the rain.
This mode of roofing occafions fuch a large confumption of
the outward bark, that the birch which are felled would not
fupply a fufficient quantity; it is, therefore, not unufual to ftrip
off the outward bark while the tree is ftanding, and if peeled
with care, it always grows again.
The inner hark of the birch is applied like the bark of oaks
for tanning hides, fiihing nets, and fails, which it renders more
durable.
This tree alfo fupplies a kind of wine by the following procefs
: a hole is bored in the trunk, and the wine diftils into a
flaik placed under it. The tree fuffers little damage, if the hole
is immediately clofed by a wooden peg. The twigs of the birch,
as well as the elder and afpen, are given to horfes in fcarcity of
fodder. A decoition of oak leaves in beer is ufed by the peafants
as a cure for the rheumatifm, by applying a cloth dipped in the
decodtion to the part affeited.
The general exports of Norway are tallow, butter, fait, dried
fifh, timber and planks, horfes and horned cattle, filver, allum,
Pruffian blue, copper, of which the celebrated mine of Roras
yields