Pedicularis with a purple head (Bartsia alpina. Linn. Sp. Pl. 839. Engl. Bot. t. 361. Euphrasia. Fl. Lapp. n. 246.) shows an affinity to the Crista Galli (Rhinanthus) in its calyx, which is divided into four equal acute segments. The fruit is ovate and acute, compressed at the point. Lower lip straight. All the other Pediculares, except Sceptrum Carolinum, have an oblique fruit.
Here and there grew specimens of Heath (Erica vulgaris) with tufted branches, looking like a pruned spruce fir, and very beautiful.
The water of the river now began to decrease, in consequence of which it became
clearer, and it was more difficult to catch any fish.
Scarcely any species of Carex was to be found this season but what had some degree of smut or ustilago about its spikes, consisting of little globular black bodies, changing to dust.
July 29.
Tanning of leather is thus performed by the Laplanders.
The scaly cuticle of the birch being first stripped off, the bark is then scraped from the tree and boiled fresh in water, for about as long a time as is requisite to boil fish; being afterwards set by to cool, to a certain degree, that it may not injure the hide by being too hot. The latter, having previously been scalded, by dipping into luke-warm water, is then soaked in the decoction of bark, and the vessel containing it sunk into a hole dug in the ground, at the extremity of the hut. The hide is taken out every day, and softened in luke-warm
water, till the hair becomes loose, when it is scraped off by such a knife as tanners use. The skin is then replaced in the tan when cool, without any previous drying, till the third day after the hair comes off, when it is hung up to dry in the shade. When the leather is but half dry, they often cut it up for shoes, which are always made by the women, without any last. The thread used for the purpose is that made of tendons.
Some persons never scald the hide, but scrape off the hair with a knife, soak it a little in water, and then plunge it into the tan.