New-York tribune., 1878-07-06
FARM LIFE IN NORWAY.
DISPLAY ATA NATIONAL FAIR.

FARM IGPLEMENTs-FEw GOOD LANDs-oDIN
AND THOR.
IyloM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRBuNE'l
CnRIsTIANIA, June 4.-To one who has landed at
Christansand, gone by steamer to EjVindvik, along
The coast and into the numerous fords with which
st is indented, and still by steamer through the
renowned Sogns ford and its laterals to Lardal and
thsnce across the country by carriolc TO ChIisana,
II seems truly wonderful that a large NOrwe-
Giau agricultural exhibition should be at
tempted Everywhere along the coast his
strained ewes are greeted with rocks and
islands and fjords and fjords and rocks
and islands, which, though sufficiently diversified
TO keep him constantly the lookout and though
presenting green wales innumerabe and abounding
IN cultivated hooks and dells, yet fail to impress him
as representatives of an agricultural land. At Fjaer
land, where he sees merry little rivers running
through green fields beside pleasant town, to the
quiet harbOr lie will think less of the crops than OF
the heavy banks of snow on the adjacent mountains
and of the noisy cataracts descending from them In
passing FramnesS, though he sees long stretch of
arabic land and growing oats and barley and ap-
pies he will think less of these than of the mirror
lakes and hgh-hOmcd clks and running
brooks abounding in the near hills ana
forests. He may stand at Gudvangen and
see the bundles of grain which are fastened either
the last rays of the sun, and to be dried by every
passing breeze but he will think less of this novel
phenomenon than of the rocky walls 1000 feet
high on each side of him, and of the water which
almost from the top of the mountain, leaps
down a thousand feet TO be lost in the forest be-
Meath He may bo attracted by the grotesqne
appearance of hay, now-mOwn and put up on long
horizontal ropes to cure, but much more Will he be
attracted by the shower of stars INTO which the sun
turns the scattered drops of the waterfall
And so, although the mountainous district OF Val
ders shows some good fields Of barley and potatoes,
and though the vicinity of Etnedal seems more Ter
tile aud the vicinity of RaudsJOrd widens into what
now begins to look like large areas of tllable land
he will reach Chrstiana with little real sense OF the
agricultural resources of Norway of the agrcultu-
raj enterprise which peryades her people This at
least, was my experience, and arrived here full "t
faith in Norway's ability to match the world with
gigantic scenery and with well-made roads,
THE FXHlBuION.
Some time ago / attended National Exhibition,
which has since closed, and l am prepared
to say that it would have done credit to any Of
the agricultural States of America. The Govern
ment of Norway appropriated 5000 crowns toward
the expenses of this meeting, and Mr.. Nogt the
head of Norway's Department of the Interior, was
made its president. The formal opening oc-
CURED in the Masonic Temple, and was attended
by His Majesty King Oscar ii, who presented gold
medals to several of the most prominent exhibit
ors. His Majesty also honored the Exhibition with
his presence at one of the meetings for dscussion'
and by making tour OF inspection through all the
departments With so much of Governmental en-
couragement the live agrculturalists ofNOrway have
perfected this display. 1t may not be undressing
10 Americans TO have a more specific account
of what the show consisted. First in the catalogue
Ia book of 2JG pages) were horses and first among
horses those of greater age than ten years, making
one proof of a valuable hOrse-his ability to carry
age The horses were cassed as of the Gudbrands-
dale breed the FJord breed and "all Others" The
two breeds named are both of Northern extraction,
and have long been IN Norway. The Gu1brandsdalo
horse boasts Norwegian ancestry of two hundred
years previous to which time he is said TO have had
a mixture of Danish tinged at least with Arabian
blood These horses vary in color from the clay
bank through the various browns to black and stand
from fourteen to fifteen hands high Their bodies
are thick and so are their legs but their ankles do
not show quite so clumslly those of our Canadian
horses which breed they somewhat resemble The Ford
horses are smaller not 1872 hands hgh but few OF
them are on exhibition. There in all 100 horses
shown OF which number twOthrds belonged TO the IA
yorte breed Of Gudhrandsale. trial Of speed an en-
tuey new thing in Norway was hedtwO miles from the
exhibition grounds, and premium OF 40 crowns ana
and 100 crowns TO the second morse IAs uia was open
all trOtcrs without regard 10 age or breed 10 De
a load OF 200 pounds besides the driver The course
and thrce-!ourthS miles long, ana II was also
utcsD The best time was made by little horse from
FINLAND, fourteen and One-fourth hands hlgn llInCI
smith Maid, but enough when the heavy carrloIe
and the 200 pounds weight are considered. Inc Nor
wpCan horses are good TOalstcTs though not fast ones
They have strong wills, kind dispositions anu great
strength aud endurance, and are well suited 10 the
CATTLE AND DAIRY PRODUCTS.
OF cattle at the fair OF which 1 speak, there
were over 100 entries, classed as NoIsk, for
eign and mixed. The best Norwegian cattle came
from Tcemark and the best are those made with
the Ayrshires. Both these breeds are small, but they
have comparatvely large bodies and give exceedingly
rich milk Few sheep were shown. There was not
single entry any pure Norwegian breed The native
breeds are very hardy but they coarse wooed and
do not excel in quantity Of wool or quality OF flesh
though the latter ranks well Much attention is be
ing paid 10 different crosses. prominent among which
appear Leicester the Cheyiot and the ONtordshTe
down and investigation thus far gives the preference 70
the Chevots The product is large and hardy aud the
fleece satisfactory in quantity ana quality Less attention
has been shown to several yet there were Few good
specimens Of Yorkshire and other English breeds on e1
bibiuOn.
The great show, however, was in agricultural
machines and implements and 1t was very gratifying TO
an American 10 that the greater number Of exhibits
were from American models, and bore the names OF
American inventors and that a very large number OF
them were actually made in the United States In this
department the greatest display was made by a
fm in Christana. who, from the hand OF the
King received a gold medal therefor. Their collection
embraced every approved kind Of planter, cutyatOr
and harvester from the garden-hoe to the self
binding REAPER; plows and harrows and weeders
and scarfcrs and cOdcrushers. TN you could not imag
ine another necessary implement in that hne; bells and
pumps and feedcutJes and potatOraspers, and turnp
scrapers and horse powers, and Ocomohies-eyeIyhng
that Is used fl The most ghly favored farming districts
of England or Amcrlgs--hcTe found place And TINS
collection was among some thirty no pl one
being so complete 5Ut each exhibiting !argc as-1l
entries. "A great many samples OF buttCl, al