922 J UHI.IX-DAXXFKLT 



of a century. The average value of a c rop of the country has about doubled 

 since 1880, with an increase of 50 per cent, since 1900. The consumption 

 per head, however, has shown a still greater increase, rising in one century 

 from 515.88 to 992.08 lbs of cereals and from 194 to 399 lbs of bread-stuffs 

 (rye and wheat) per person. 



The relative retrogression indicated by these facts is chiefly due to 

 the rapid development of industry, which absorbed a constantly growing 

 proportion of the rural population, leading to what is termed " the 

 desertion of the countryside ". The value of industrial products rose from 

 1000 million kroner in 1909 to 1772 million in 1912, while the crop value 

 in the same period only went up from 600 to 900 million kroner. 



To remedy this state of things various measures have been adopted 

 for the promotion of agriculture. One of these was the reorganisation of 

 the agricultural administration. In 1882 the administration of State fo- 

 rests and domains was placed in the hands of a new institution, the Direc- 

 tion of Domains, and 7 years later the Department of Agriculture wq.s estab- 

 lished as a central office for agricultural matters, which had till that time 

 been dealt with by the executive Committee of the Royal Academy of 

 Agriculture. In 1900 agricultural affairs were transferred from the Home 

 Office to the newl\ created Ministry of Agriculture. Since 1889 the Aca- 

 demy of Agriculture, in its capacity as a scientific societj^ has confined its 

 work to the study of scientific questions in connection with agricultural ex- 

 periments. 



In the provinces, the'chief intermediaries between the Government and 

 farmers in all matters involving the welfare and progress of agriculture are 

 the Societies of Rural Economy. Their duty is to work in their respective 

 districts for the development of agriculture and allied industries, by educa- 

 tion, by example, and by distributing rewards. They organise competi- 

 tions, compile figures to form a basis of agricultural statistics, etc. They 

 possess considerable resources, amounting in 1913 to about 4 million kroner 

 (investments 400 000, members' subscriptions 50 000, public subscrip- 

 tions 2 434 000, special appropriations 775 000 kroner). 



The growing concern of the public authorities for the development of 

 agriculture is also evident from the considerable increase of State expendi- 

 ture for this object of late 3^ear5. Such expenditure amounted in 1901 to 

 6.1 million kroner or 3.3 per cent, of the total estimates ; in 1915 it attai- 

 ned 14. 1 million kroner, or 5.2 per cent. 



Agricultural wealth is continuously increasing, though more slowly 

 than the total wealth of the nation. According to the official taxation 

 assessment, the following were, in 1900 and 1014, the values of real estate in 

 millions of kroner : 



Agricultural c.'^latc 2 355 = 52 % 3 762 = 38 % 



Other estate 2 147 = 48 % 6021= 62% 



Totals 4 502 = 100 9 783 = 100 



