Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-12-27
N0RSKE FARMS.
Difficulties Encountered in Tilling
Farms in Norway.
Something of the Farmer and His Eco
nomic Methods-Every Square Foot of
Land Utilized-An Ingenious Hay
Telegraph.

While travelling in Norway recently,
the writer had an opportunity OF OBJ
tanning some practical information in
connection with farming in that
country, and the following remarks
are intended to illustrate the typical
condition of the peasantry. In certain
portions of the south, principally in
the Christiania district, comparatively
large farming operations are carried
on. The contrast between Norwegian
farms and those he has left behind at
home, must strike the least observant
tourist. Yet, though he sees much
that seems to him rude and antiquated,
one soon finds there are not few les
sons awaiting the agriculturist in the
land of the vikings. So adverse are
the conditions under which the Norske
farmer struggles, that the latter must
be almost latter the manner born"
And it is not too much to add that, to
an average farmer, certain bankruptcy
would result where a Norwegian can
make his bread and prosper.
The first impression of any ordinary
Norwegian farm-steading is not very
favorable. A cluster of houses, small
and aged, crowd around large dwell
ing-hOuse, which generally looks
somewhat dilapidated. But this APP
pearance is deceptive; for the walls
being of wood, they look old in a few
years, and become blotched and scared
by the weather. The roof is of the
same material, or, in the case of the
principal building, either of red tile or
slab. Sometimes the dwelling-house
is painted white, when the affect is to
relieve the sombre aspect of the group.
The walls are usually stout and thor
oughly weather-prOOf, planks about
four inches thick being used in their
construction. These planks are placed
edgewise on one another, crossed and
countersunk at the angles, and calked
in the seams with dry moss. A skin
of thin wood is placed over the outside,
while the interior is lined smoothly
comfort and cleanliness. A table
stands in the center of the chief room;
and along the wall bench runs, which
serves for chairs, of which there is
usually a deficiency. From pots on
the floor, ivy is sometimes trained up-
wards to the roof, giving the room a
festive and refreshing look. Not I'M
frequently, the worthy farmer is proud
to have the dresses of his daughters
hung in conspicuous positions, in order
that SWANS who call may see that the
damsels are well provided with gar
ments in case of d matrimonial al
lance.
The cowhouses are generally an i'm
provement on those usually seen in En-
gland and Scotland. The building is
larger, and more space is allotted to
each animal, while clean wooden
floor is ordinarily beneath the cattle
Little or no bedding is given. The
level of the cowhouses is in most cases
raised high enough to allow of space
beneath, into which the refuse is regu-
larly swept through an opening in the
floor.
Outside the buildings, one is apt to
ask: But where is the farm? Look
about you. Mountains hem us in on
all sides, there is no room for fields as
We know them at home; but grass
grows luxuriously among the rocks,
with naoa -.
an ordinary villa-garden. There, the
farmer cuts a portion of his hay-crop, |
on which his horses and cattle are
mainly dependent during the eight |
winter months. But his bayfield, is |
yet wider spread. Glance upward some |
fifteen hundred feet. there, where an |
opening occurs in the dwarf-birch, and |
you observe the diminished form of a |
man busy at work. This is the farmer, |
thorough mountaineer, cutting the |
grass which grows on yonder mar
row ledge of rock. He has been |
up since early morn and will |
probably not descend till evening. |
Not tuft of grass will be left I'M
gathered; not foot of level ground on |
that steep and rugged mountain side
out Will be visited, and its small crop |
carefully removed by the industrious
oergsman. If he has a wide stretch of |
Held (hlll-pasture or moorlan6 in his
boundary, the farmer erects wooden |
sheds In which he stores his hay till /
winter, when, by an ingenious contriv-
ance' ne has the whole rapidly and
easily conveyed to the valley. A
Iamliiar object in Norwegian glen is
the strong steel wire which stretches
from the foot to the summit of the |
mountain Down this wire the bundles