Conditions in Sweden. 287 



of administration being separate as well as the parlia- 

 ments (Storthing in Norway, and Riksdag in Sweden). 

 Denmark, powerful in the 11th century under 

 Canute, who subjugated not only Norway but 

 England, losing both these countries shortly after his 

 death, was shorn by Sweden of much of its territory 

 in the 17th century, and, in 1814, was separated from 

 Norway. Originally an elective monarchy, largely 

 dominated by the nobility, the crown in 1661 became 

 hereditary and absolute, and Sweden did not become 

 a constitutional monarchy until 1849. 



SWEDEN. 



This country is of greatest interest to the world at 

 large in forestry matters, because it has been until 

 lately the largest exporter of wood and has only just 

 fully waked up to its need for a conservative forest 

 management: the law of 1903 promises to bring about 

 very decided changes, and to curtail the exports upon 

 which other European nations so much rely. 



Sweden, with 172,876 square miles, occupies the 

 eastern two-thirds of the Scandinavian peninsula. 

 It is not like Norway, a mountain country, but the 

 greater part consists of low granitic hills. The moun- 

 tain range (Koelen) which forms the boundary to- 

 wards Norway falls off in a long slope towards the 

 gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic sea, the coast being 

 a broad level plain, with a series of islands, larger or 

 smaller, girdling the outer coast line and forming an 

 archipelago. 



The country is cut into numerous water sheds, the 



