306 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



cake had sligttly diminished. Nearly the whole of this 

 latter article is exported to England. 



The cultivation of flax is also diminishing, as the pro- 

 prietors no longer think it worth their while to cultivate a 

 plant which exhausts the soil even more than rape-seed, and 

 requires very expensive and difficult treatment. 



The cultivation of hemp and hops has also slightly 

 diminished. 



On the other hand, the cultivation of all kinds of grain 

 has considerably increased. 



Seed is often brought from foreign countries— barley and 

 wheat-seed from England and Scotland. White English 

 wheat is much cultivated. 



Usual Produce.- -The usual average production per acre 

 is, of wheat five quarters, barley or rye six quarters, and 

 about seven quarters of oats, arising from a sowing of wheat 

 four bushels, barley and rye from three to four bushels, and 

 of oats six bushels. 



Rotation of Crops. — The rotation of crops usually practised 

 is as follows :— First year, fallow ; second, winter-seed» 

 wheat, rye, or rape-seed ; 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 to corn, and the 

 other to grass and fallow. 



It has been calculated that about one-half of the country* 

 or about 300 square miles, are annually sown with corn. 

 The total breadth of land under cultivation in the kingdom, 

 exclusive of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, in 1847, 

 was, according to the Statistical Returns, 150 square miles; 

 since that period, however, large tracts of heath, common 

 and barren places, have been cultivated. 



Manure. — The art of manuring is not yet perfectly under- 

 stood by Danish farmers. The ordinary farm-yard manure 

 is put on in a very disorderly manner, and consequently 

 much is wasted. Artificial manures are but little used, 

 partly on account of the expense, and partly because the 

 few experiments that have been made have not proved very 

 successful. Bones dissolved in sulphuric acid have, however, 

 been employed in some places with satisfactory results. 



Drainage. — Drainage has hitherto only been employed on 

 the large estates, but everywhere with satisfactory results. 

 The expense of the tubes, which are imported from England, 

 and are subject to a heavy duty, rather prevents the pro- 

 gress which might otherwise be made in the art. From the 

 West of Jutland people have been sent to England to learn 

 tbe art of drainage. 



Irrigation. — In most parts of the country great attention 

 is paid to irrigation. The general method employed seems 

 to be the so- called over-drizzling it, being the simplest and 

 easiest. Artificial works are only found on the larger 

 estates. 



Implements. — Great amelioration has taken place within 

 the last ten years in agricultural implements. The swing- 

 plough is now generally used instead of the old wheel- 

 plough; the Swedish harrow is much employed, and ia 

 much approved of, as it considerably diminishes the spring- 

 seed labour. The Scotch harrow is also much used. Of 

 other implements in general use, I may name the following : 

 rollers, extirpators, heaping-ploughs, water-furrow-ploughs, 

 subsoil ploughs, grouud-shovels, &c. Thrashing-machines 

 are now to be found everywhere. Steam thrashing-machines 

 have, I believe, not yet been introduced into the country. 

 Towing-machines are to be found on some of the larger 

 estates. In the islands the American horse-rake is in great 

 favour. 



Forests. — It is calculated that the area of forests in Den- 

 mark, including the Duchie?, amounts to about 480,000 

 Danish acres (about 600,000 English arces). The most 

 common tree is the beech, which covers about four-fifths of 

 the forests, and which thrives exceedingly well in this coun- 

 try, perhaps more so than in any other ; next to the beech 

 tree, the oak is most common. Pine and fir trees are rarei 

 and only appear when planted ; they are principally to be 

 found ill the North of Zealand and Jutland. The common 

 fruit trees, as apple, pear, cherry, and plum trees, are found 

 all over the country. The fruit of the peach and apricot 

 trees does not attain its full development in the northern 

 parts of the country, and it is only with a few exceptions, in 

 the southern parts of the country, that these fruits are culti- 

 vated with a view to trade. Hops are cultivated in the 

 gardens of Funen, and in some places on the south of Zea- 

 land, and in Schleswig and Holstein. A great deal of wood 

 has been planted of late years on many of the islands. 



Average Rent of Land. — The average rent of land appears 

 to be about 9s. per English acre. 



Terms of Lease. — The usual term of lease for a large farm 

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

 low's, on the Island of Lalland, only seven. Besides the 

 larger farms, there are many small holdings, for which, in 

 some cases, rent is paid in labour, and in others in money 5 

 some of these holdings are hereditary, some life-rente, and 

 others interminable leases. 



Wages. — The average rate of wages for a farm labourer is 

 from £i to £4 10s. a-yeari besides his food and a cottage 

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

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



Cattle. — 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 principal source 

 of wealth to the country. 



The exact number of horned cattle, including cows, bul- 

 locks, and bulls, is estimated at from 1,500,000 to 2,000,000. 

 Of this number about 1,000,000 are cows. 



The breeding of cattle is carried on more or less in moat 

 parts of the country, but most cattle are to be found in the 

 large grazing grounds of Jutland. Some years ago, cattle- 

 breeding began to decline, but of late has again increased on 

 account of the high prices, owing to the opening of a direct 

 communication with England. The average amount of ex- 

 ports may be estimated at about 60,000 head annually. Of 

 this number the greater part is sent to England. 



The cattle from the western part of Jutland are generally 

 considered the best for slaughter, while the eastern part pro- 

 duces the best cows. Improvements in the breed have been 

 particularly effected by animals of the Lemvig race and 

 Ayrshire bulls. In general, on the western part of Jutland, 

 every peasant breeds several 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 25 lbs. of butter a-year, which, as 

 the population is estimated at about 2,500,000, will give a 

 total of 62,000,000 lbs. The exports of this article are 

 about 16,000,000 lbs. annually. The greatest part is sent 

 to England, Hamburgh, Lubeck, and Norway. The ave- 

 rage produce of a cow is from 70 lbs. to 80 lbs. of butter 

 annually, and about 120 lbs. of cheeae. The largest dairy 

 farms are to be found in Schleswig, where from 200 to 300, 

 and sometimes as many a* 400 cows are often kept. 



