Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-04-29
AGRICULTURE IN NORWAY.
And on the Borders of the Cold Arc
tic Circle.


Taken as a whole the agriculture OF
Norway Ia not very In. 0rtant. inc
cultivated land occupies the inslgnih-
cant area of 900 square miles. But
there are many things Of interest to be
observed. Perhaps the chief Interest
lies In the faithful industry by which
very small patches of land are cult
vated. They do not despse small
things here, and they have learned the
important truth that "faithfulness IN
little things IL something great" We
have seen thousands of patches % pota-
toes, oats, barley or rye In valleys or
upon mountain sides that would not
average more than 900 square feet,
while many patches Of potatoes were
not mere than 100 each.
Grass Is not the important product
Of the country. 1t Is remarkably rich
and of very high feeding value. 1t
grows very thictly upon the ground,
and thus turns off good Yield, re-
sembling that of England
~
able. Along the west coast 1t averages
over 70 inches, and elsewhere some
thing over 40. Uuon the mountain
farms the grasses are usually Of native
varieties, numbers OF which closely re-
semble our Rhode Island bent-grass.
In the valleys excellent crops of timo-
thy are seen. The native grasses are
often 80 intergrown with wild flowers
and aromatic plants as to give them
tho appearance OF flower gardens, and
to cause the hay to be remarkably rich
In sweet perfumes.
II naturally follows that upon sucn
small areas The cutting of the grass ana
the gathering OF the hay IL oil per
formed by hand labor. Upon few
farms near Chrstlanla, and upon n
greater number near TrondhJem. and
a few elsewhere moving machines
were seen. These were nearly all OF
American manufacture, and the leading
American machines seem quite at home
here. Ono establishment In Christlania
has made some mowers IN exact imlta-
tion OF the American type, Not moro
than a dozen horse ralses have been
seen In driving two or three hundred
miles with horses through the country
and travelling considerable distances
by rail. Perhaps this number would
include all those seen at the places Of
business of the dealers In the towns,
The hay-makng Is very picturesque
and interesting. The scythes are %
inches In length and very narrow and
attached to straight snaths, on which
are peculiarly shaped handles, A lit
tie plylctice enables one to use this odd
imlemont quite effectively. II requires
short, quick stroke, Many OF the
grass patches upon the mountains arc
80 rough that 10 large an implement
cannot be used The blade Is about IL
inches in length and the handles about
as long and very peculiarly shaped, |
purchased one Of these from Il noun
tain mower for one ltrone-say % cents
to take home rs u curiosity, The
blade was made by blacksmith In the
neighborhood and the handle by the
farmer.
As soon ~ mown, the grass Is placed
upon racks to euro, These racks are
made by placing stakes In the ground,
somo 10 or Il feet apart, and to these
light poles are fastened horizontally by
withes, foot apart, and az high rs can
be readily reached. Often q stout cord
is used instead OF the poles, The grass
Ia loosely shaken, and then placed upon
the racks so rs to All them nearly full
The mir readily passes through 1t, white
the top layer sheds the mln from all
beneath. The process Is laborous n,t
effective In curing the hay In the best
possible condition, The moving Is done
by men, the raking and curing by wo-
men, The hay Ia carried to the barns
In bundles upon the backs OF men ~
women. or is drawn upon diminutive
low carts. From the mountain patches
the bundles of hay are frequently run
pully. These are sometimes several
hundred feet long,
Some 80 or moro years ago variety
of oats was introduced to America
called Norway oats 1t had very strong
straw and yielded heavily a graybacl
grain. The hull was hard and seriousl!
detracted from the value OF the grain
Upon inquiry It was found that thi,
variety is considerably grown through
out Norway, but as It requires about II
days longer season than the white var.
ieties. and the season here is very
short, II is not 50 generally grown a.
the white The grain | saw was yer.
heavy, with much less Objectionable,
hull than the American grown.
The best potato culture | have seer
was within the Arctic circle, notabl,
upon the LRofoden islands. There tn,
drills were straight and far enough
apart to allow OF the proper develop
nent of the plants and tubes, Else