The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-11-22
cMisFeAatrenas.
Observation-Disclosures

The effects Of climate upon vegetation
in Norway have lately been made a sub
ject Of study by M. Tisserand, the French
Minister OF Agriculture. Some facts set
forth in report which contains his per-
sonal observations, win be found of in.
terest to the farmers Of our Northern
States. .n.l
To appreciate the phenomenal mode
ofgrowth exhibited by Norwegian cere-
ais. we must bear in mind that even the
capital, Christiana, which ie not far from
the southern extremity of Norway, is on
the sixtieth parallel of latitude, or, in
other words, no further from the pole
than the most southern point of Green
land. Nevertheless it is found possible
to raise wheat as high as the sixty fourth
degree; that is to say, in the latitude OF
Hudson's Strait, while oats are grown as
far north as the sixty'ninth degree, and
barley within the Arctic circle. These
broad facts are well known, and COM
monty explained by the influence of the
Gulf Stream, but it is to more specific
features of Scandinavian vegetation that
we would direct attention.
The most striking point is the singular
precocty Of the native grains, and the
short period required for perfect ripen-
ing Wheat, for instance, sown in the
last week of May, is reaped toward the
end of August. The native grain, in
deed, has been known to mature in IA
days, but about los are required by the
varieties imported from the southern
countries. The gain in the latter case is
still considerable, since it is pointed out
by M. Tisserand, that in Alsace, where
the mean temperature is sensibly higher
wheat needs 1871 days for ripening, III the
enVirons of Paris about l39, and in Algi-
ers 142. For barley the average dura"
ton of growth at Christiania is 90 days,
but seed brought from Alien, on the 10Th
parallel of north latitude, and sown in
Christiania, has come to maturity in less
than eight weeks. Like results attended
an experiment made at Vincennes,
where ordinary barley exaCts 100 days
for ripening. Some grain imported from
Alien was sown there on the 9TH of April
and harvested on the 18th Of June, show
ing gain of 81 days on the French ce-
real. H ..
Like results have attended expert
ments carried out at the botanical gar
den of Christiana, in the case of corn,
oats, beans, peas, ard meadow grass. In
all these instances it was demonstrated
that seed brought from the far north fur
nished varieties of remarkable precocity,
which only lost their advance after sew
eral generations, when they gradually
became acclimatized. The fact, more
10 w ha olIr n.
tice of Norwegian farmers. To gain some
days on the usual date of harvesting lS
obviously a matter of no small moment
in country where frosts arrive with
September, and often hinder grain from
ripening. Accordingly we find that the
cereals of high latitudes, and especially
Alien barley, are in great demand
throughout the Scandinavian peninsula
for seed grain. With it crops can be got
in twenty or thirty days earlier during
the first year, subsequently the difference
is less, and after three or four years the
seed must be renewed. In southern
Greenland, likewise, Alien barley is in
use, no seed grain being imported from
countries situated below the sixty-eighth
parallel. The farmers of Iceland, too,
SOW barley brought from Alien or from
the shores of the White sea. Thus it APP
pears that the most northern provinces
of Norway are the great puryeyors of
seed grain to other cold countries lying
in high latitudes, and this is especially
true of the Scandinavian kingdom, where
bad crop in the north is accounted a
national calamity.
The rapid development of plants is not
the only symptom of special influences
and conditions belonging to an arctic or
sub arctic climate. 1t appears that ce-
reals imported from the southern couns
tries of Europe and sown in Norway
gain both in size and weight whereas
Norwegian grain transferred to French
or German soil loses in volume and
density. In the case of barley brought
from Christiana and planted at Breslau,
the average weight Of the grain fell IS
per cent. M. Tisserand found that 1t
was hydrates Of carbon which were most
conspicuously augmented in the tissues
of Norwegian vegetables. II is there's
fore a reduction Of carbonic acid through
the leaves of plants which seems to be
particularly accelerated in high latitudes,
and SINCE this process is carried out un-
der the influence of light, it appears rea~
sonable to attribute the extraordinary ac-
tivity of vegetation in Norway to the per-
sistence of the solar radiation through
the long days of summer 1t is estima>
ted, indeed, that the sum Of heat received
at Alien on a given day, when the sun
remains twenty hours above the horizon,
is greater than that radiated over north
ern Germany within the same term at
the same epoch, Notwithstanding the
greater elevation of the sun in the latter
latitude. li sa1 g g nsHJg HIr
Other observations confirm this con-
clusion. The augmented action Of light
during brief period is manifested in the
more intense coloring of the vegetation.
In proportion as you ascend the coast in
Norway you find the grain of deeper
hue. The white, semi transparent kerr
nels of southern wheat grow opaque and
brown; the White varieties of beans be-
come yellow, brown or green. A like
tendency to emphasis is remarked in the
green tissues of trees, shrubs, and veget-
ables. The tints of flowers, likewise, are
more pronounced some species, which
are white or pale buff in our temperate
climates, change to scarlet or gold in
Norway. Finally, we may note that the
aromatic principles of plants are also
signally intensified in high latitudes. =
Celery and the onion, for instance, ac>
quire a SAVIOR so much keener that, ac-
cording to NJ. Tisserand, French cooks
coming to Stockholm or Christiana are
forced to make radical change in their
employment of those vegetables. The
most fragrant cummin seed in the world
is produced in the above named district
of Alien on the edge of the Arctic circle,
and the lavender andmint Of Drontheim
are far richer in essential oils than are the