AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES. 607 



The character of the land area of the four countries is indicated by 

 the data presented in the following table: 



Productive area, forest area, etc. 



Country. 



Produc- 

 tive area. 



Forest 

 area. 



Under 

 cultiva- 

 tion. 



"Norway . 

 Sweden . 

 Denmark 

 Finland . 



Per cent. 

 28.9 

 56.7 



91). 7 

 65.4 



Per cent. 

 24.0 

 44.4 



4.7 

 57.4 



Per cent. 



a2.8 



8.2 



44.5 



3.0 



a Pastures and meadows, 2.1 per cent. 



The greater portion of the farm land is o^ned by small holders in all 

 four countries, as will be readily observed from the following statement, 

 which also includes other information illustrating the agricultural con- 

 ditions of the Scandinavian countries: 



Agricultural statistics. 



a Under 25 hectares. 



AGRICULTURAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. 



The system of agricultural education in the Scandinavian countries 

 and Finland is arranged along two distinct lines, viz, elementary and 

 higher instruction. The schools providing elementary instruction in 

 agriculture are located in different parts of the country and are sup- 

 ported largely, though seldom wholly, by State aid, the districts in 

 which the schools are located (ami, Ian, stift) paying the remaining 

 portion of the expense. In Norway the State generally contributes 

 three-fourths of the expenses to the support of tlie elementary schools, 

 while in the neighboring countries a definite sum of money, ranging 

 from 1,000 to 10,000 crowns (1 crown=2G.8 cents) or more, is appro- 

 priated annually for their support. The institutions offering higher 

 instruction in agricultural branches are supported wholly by the 

 respective States. 



The elementary schools provide both practical and theoretical instruc- 

 tion (the Swedish landtmanna schools excepted, to which reference will 

 be made below), while the higher agricultural schools are essentially 

 theoretical, previous experience in ordinary farm work being required 

 of students. 



