THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



311 



great increase in the produce, but also mucli imin-ove- 

 ment In the quality of the grain. 



Ten years ago the annual crop of various kinds of 

 grain in Denmark and the Duchies was less than ten 

 million quarters: it is now fully one-fourth more. 

 Denmark Proper produces the largest proportion of 

 grain, which is accounted for by the inhabitants of the 

 Duchies ajjplying themselves more especially to the 

 breeding of cattle. According to the most recent 

 returns, Denmark seems to own now the following 

 quantities of live stock : — Horses, GOO, 000 ; horned 

 cattle, 1,500,000 to 2,000,000; sheep, 2,000,000 ; pigs, 

 500,000. Cattle are exported principally in English 

 steamers via Tonning. In 1857 the number exported 

 from that port was 14,534, and in 1858 11,071 head. 

 It has been calculated that about one-half of the 

 country, or about 300 square miles, are annually sown 

 with corn. The usual average production per acre is — 

 of wheat five quarters, barley or rye six, and oats seven ; 

 the quantity of seed sown being, wheat four bushels, 

 barley and rye about the same, and oats six bushels. 

 Seed is often obtained from foreign countries — barley 

 and wheat from England. White English wheat is 

 much cultivated. The parts of the country most 

 adapted to the cultivation of wheat are the islands of 

 Lalland and Langeland, part of Zeeland, the Marsh 

 and part of Schleswig, and the eastern partof Holstein. 

 Hay is only produced in small quantities near the 

 farmers' houses, but not sufficient to meet the wants of 

 the country. Clover is the chief article used for feed- 

 ing cattle. Turnips are cultivated in some parts of the 

 kingdom, but not in any quantity ; they are not much 

 used for feeding cattle, and do not enter into the 

 system of agriculture as with us. Potatoes are culti- 

 vated all over the country, and the production 

 is considerable. The growth of flax is diminishing, 

 as the proprietors no longer think it worth their 

 while to cultivate a plant which exhausts the soil 

 even more than rapeseed, and requires very expensive 

 and difficult treatment. The cultivation of hemp and 

 hops has also slightly diminished of late years. 



The rotation of crops usually practised is as follows : 

 First year, fallow ; second, winter seed, wheat, rye, or 

 rapeseed ; third, barley; fourth, peas or beans; fifth, 

 oats; sixth, clover for mowing; seventh and eighth, 

 pasture. The arable land is generally divided into two 

 parts ; one moiety of which is employed in corn, and 

 the other in grass and fallow. Barley is the principal 

 article of export; next comes wheat. The export of 

 this latter grain has considerably increased during the 

 last few years. Although the average price of corn was 

 considerably lower in 1858 than in 1857, the value of 

 the exports of grain from Denmark in the former 

 year was £848,000, against £^800,873 in 1857. The 

 average rent of land appears to be about 9s. per 

 English acre. The usual term of lease for a large farm 

 is nine years ; and on some large estates, as at Count 

 Reventlow's, on the Island of Lalland, only seven. Be- 

 sides the large farms there are many small holdings, 

 for which in some cases rent is paid la labour, and in 

 others in mone^ : some of these holdings are heredi- 



tary, some life-rents, and others interminable leases. 

 The average rate of wages for a farm-labourer' is from 

 £4 to £4 10s. a-year, besides his food, a cottage and 

 garden, and a certain amount of peat for fuel. Women 

 receive from 3d. to 4d. a-day. 



The breeding of cattle in Denmark is only next in 

 importance to the cultivation of the soil; and in some 

 parts, especially in Jutland, is almost superior to it ; 

 and forms, in conjunction with agriculture, the prin- 

 cipal source of wealth of the country. The average 

 number exported may be calculated at 60,000 head 

 annually ; and of this the greater part is sent to Eng- 

 land. The cattle from the western part of Jutland are 

 generally considered the best for slaughter, while the 

 eastern part produces the best cows. Improvements 

 in the breed have been particularly cfiected by animals 

 of the Lemvig raco and Ayrshire bulls. In general on 

 the western part of Jutland every peasant breeds seve- 

 ral oxen in the year, which are usually sold when 

 three or four years old, to be fattened in the Marsh 

 countries, Schleswig and Holstein. The average price 

 of a bullock appears to be from £6 to £7. It 

 has been calculated that on an average each person 

 in Denmark consumes about 251bs. of butter a-year; 

 which, as the population is estimated at 2,500,000, 

 will give a total of 62,000,0001bs. The exports of this 

 article are about 16,000, OOOlbs. annually. The greatest 

 part is sent to England, Hamburgh, Lubeck, and Nor- 

 way. The average produce of a cow is from 70 to 80 lbs. 

 of butter annually, and about 201bs. of cheese. The 

 largest dairy-farms are to be found in Schleswig, 

 where from 200 to 300, and sometimes as many as 400, 

 cows are often kept. The best Danish horses are met 

 with in Jutland ; and it is from thence that the largest 

 exports are made. A great many Yorkshire stallions 

 have been imported, and have materially assisted in 

 improving the breed. 



In some parts of the country, especially on 

 the islands, the breed of sheep has been much im- 

 proved by mixture with the Dishley, Leicester, and 

 Southdown races, by which a great amelioration has 

 been produced both in the flesh and wool. The 

 original Danish race of sheep, which has a coarse, 

 short, and stifi" wool, is still maintained in many places 

 without any improvement. Fine-wooUed sheep are 

 seldom kept, except on some of the larger estates, as 

 in general they do not thrive well in that climate. 

 Merino sheep are kept in the south of Zeeland, and on 

 some of the other islands. The total production of 

 wool is estimated at 5,000,0001bs. annually, and the 

 average yield is 31bs. The export of wool has increased 

 of late years; but, on the other hand, the home manu- 

 facture, which is principally confined to the peasantry, 

 has considerably decreased. There are several agri- 

 cultural societies in Denmark^iwhich distribute prizes 

 for the best cattle; these prizes consist principally of 

 improved implements, sheep,''and"pigs. 



The detailed'returns for 1859^are not yet before us. 

 but those for 1858 show the following exports of ani- 

 mals : Horses, 9,C32 ; cattle, 39,403 ; calves, 12,466 ; 

 heep and lambs, 38,714 ; and pigs, 40,802. As com- 



