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342 TRAVELS OF EHRENMALM.
meadows, and change the land of men into what they call cows’ land: the grafs rich
and abundant which. they derive from it for feven or eight years, pays them with ufury
both for their manure and labour. Thefe large meadows are interfe@ed by hedges,
where each peafant proprietor has his barn: the fields, in the fame manner, are divided
into as many partitions as there are families or cultivators; thefe latter commonly only
fow the argillaceous lands, which may reward their pains.
If this country poffefled more inhabitants, it would become more fertile. I have
feen many places capable of cultivation, and much marfhy ground which might be
turned into excellent meadows. Not merely that on the heights, thereis found much
{tony fand, which fcarcely having an inch of rich land, would not be worth the pains
of clearing the wood. But good crops might be Peas from many vallies, covered
with herbs which grow naturally among{t birch and oziers: thefe trees are of a green,
and vigour which indicate a land fit for cultivation.
The produats, as well of the land, of the commerce of grain, the fifhery, the flocks
of which they fell, the milk and butter, mines, manufactures, and efpecially of thofe of
flax, pay for the ‘fubfiftence, and the impofts of Nordland. In the weit of this pro-
vince they alfo collec&t hemp, of which they make fails. ‘They are inferior to thofe of
Stockholm ; but if they are not fufficiently ftrong for veflels, they ferve at leaft for
Parks, and to make tents and facks.
The peafants of Nordland have procured a fpecies of cows, which are fimall indeed,
but yield a great quantity of milk ; a profit for which they are indebted to the afliduity.
of their cares, and the quality of their pafture lands. ‘They have excellent hay ; and
the {traw of the grain they fow, is better thanthat of rye. ‘They are careful during the
fummer to collect leaves of birch, alders and oziers, which they dry. ‘They mix them
in the winter with the bran of their grain, in hot water, and fill large tubs with them,
which are in the ftalls of the cattle.
The forage of the meadows is referved for the winter. Thus during the fummer
the Nordlanders lead the cattle, far from their dwellings, into kinds of ftalls, or
they leave themat liberty to graze on theenvirons. Some of thefe penns are common
to whole villages: fome belong to particular families. A peafant has in his fold, one
or feveral chambers where he dwells, prepares and keeps his milk food. Thefe folds
are eftablifhed in the mid{t of the woods, at places where there ts tolerably good grafs.
Thefe uncultivated fpots are by degrees changed into meadows, fields, and gardens.
The cattle pafs the night in thefe grounds, when they would prepare them for tillage 5
or elfe they carry the dung there from the ftalls.
In each family the greater number pafles the fummer with their cattle. During that
time, they prepare the fallow ground by burning the woods and heaths, inclofe fields <
they tillthem, gather the little they have fown, fpin and make cloth. At the time of
the hay harvett, they all go, men and women, to reap and gather in their crop.
The Nordlanders have many goats, a cattle eafily bred up; but few fheep, the wool
of which is too coarfe to repay them for the trouble it cofts. ‘The fwine, nearly all the
fummer, feek their food in the woods. ‘They are only feen in winter in the villages,
where they are fed with bark of trees.
‘The peafants dwelling near the mines, are thofe who may poffefs the greateft number
of horfes: but they have fcarcely one for nine cows. ‘hefe horfes are at the moft
four feet and ahalf high. ‘The fineft are thofe which were left by the Finlandith regi-
ments of cavalry in Nordland, during the winter quarters of the war preceding 1740.
In proportion as we advance north, the horfes decreafe in fize and {trength. ‘Thole of
Wettern Nordland, are of a fingular form. ‘Lhey have the head and eyes large, fmall
ears,
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