The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-02-14

q 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 un-
gathered; not foot of level ground on
that steep and rugged mountain side
but will be visited, and it's small crop
carefully removed by the industrious
bergsman. If he has wide stretch of
field (hill-pasture or moorland) in his
boundary, the farmer erects wooden
sheds in which he stores his hay till
winter, when, by an ingenious contriv-
ance, he has the whole rapidly and
easily conveyed to the valley. A
familiar 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
OF hay are expeditiOusly sent without
labor, and then carried on sledges to
the steadings. Without such method
many weary journeys would be neces-
sary ere all the hay required for long
winter could be brought down. 1t APP
pears the Norwegian farmer borrowed
the idea of this hay-telegraph from his
brother hillsman of the Tyrol about
eight years ago. The hay crop is the
product of natural grass, no seed being
sown, nor any admixture of clover be-
ing used.
The cereals are generally oats and
barley; these are planted wherever
there is likelihood of their growing
Small patches from twenty feet to as
many yards square are common; while
not unfrequently the cornfelds are
but name, for they meander like a
stream in all directions among the
huge powders and bare rocky hillocks
which compose so great part of the
surface of a farmland. The heads are
usually very light, and their appear
ance would cause a painful smile on
the face of a Western farmer Still,
the people eheerfuIly SOW and thank
fully reap their scanty harvest, con-
tented if Providence gives them sutfi-
cient for their few wants.
The method employed in drying the
hay and corn crops is different from
that which obtains in this couptryr In
the former case, poles are erected on or
near the patches, and between them
ropes or long sticks are laid till sort
of six-barred railing is made. On these
bars the hay is laid, and dried in a
most effective manner. The corn, on
the other hand, is tied in small bundles
and impaled on poles placed at inter-
walls in the fields. These poles are
about nine feet high, and capable of
holding ten sheaves each. The grain
is thus elevated above the ground; and
should rain storm set in before it can
be conveyed to the granary, little
results, for half an hours wind and
sunshine thoroughly dries the crop.
In the great valley of Voss, the fields
are more extensive than those just de-
scribed. Indeed, a field of two to three
acres can be seen on more than one
farm near fringe.
With regard to the potato crop, the
same kind OF miniature farming occurs,
only ''much more so, as Mark Twain
would say. Aseed is dropped here and
there wherever possibilit exists of its
taking root In the Noerodal. the
writer noticed potatoes growing on a
bowlder, where soil of about eighteen
inches had gathered or been placed.
The ''field" was triangle, whose sides
were each about twelve feet in length!
Turnips would appear to be outside
the economy of a Norwegian farm.
Though a wide area was visited, en-
bracing Bergens-Amt, Hardanger and
part of the Sogne district, not bulb
was visible; curious feature, consid-
ering the Importance of such crop for
food.
The portion of the farm given up to
crep and failow is styled the in-naarken.
or inside fields; between that and the
field are Zee out-mar6en. The latter
are reserved. as a rule, for the cattle
during winter; the hay being allowed
to grow in the summer while the cows
are at the sGters on the mountains.
Manuring is not resorted to as a regu-
lar part of the routine; the fields are
left from time to time for three or four
years, by rotation, in grass.
The farmers themselves are worthy
of more than the brief description
which can be given here. A life of
constant activity and mountain climb
ing has bred a class of men scarcely to
be excelled. They are tall and strongly
built, with no excess of flesh, for they
are always in training. Their athletic
frames are supplemented by good
humored, honest faces, always ready
to break into laugh. A uniform suit
of pilot-cloth does not, however en-
hance their appearance. One does not
readily associate the Sunday clothes
of NAVY with the Norwegian farmer.
Their former dress, which some of the
old men retain, is more becoming. And
happily, we still find the true noun
taineer's costume in some of the more
secluded districts-a broad hat, short
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