DENMARK. 



649 



Statistics, tation of lean cattle, which was not before allowed, was 

 — -Y~ w ' also permitted. In 1774, the number of horned cattle 

 throughout the whole of Denmark, was 640,2 1 1 cows, 

 and 131,762 oxen. 



In 1798, the exports from the isles and Jutland were 

 '22,000 cattle, and 9000 tons of salted beef. In many 

 districts arc made immense quantities of butter and 

 cheese, which are exported to different parts of Europe. 

 Their dairies are placed on the same footing as those 

 of Holland. The finest butter is that of Holstein ; and 

 connoisseurs esteem particularly the cheese of Eyster- 

 sted in this duchy, and of Thyboe in Jutland. The 

 rearing of sheep is another important branch of the ru- 

 ral economy of Denmark, and government has been at 

 great pains to procure from other countries the best 

 species, and those most suitable to the situation and cli- 

 mate, for the purpose of improving the native breed. 

 It is in the low districts of Sleswick and Holstein, and 

 particularly in the district of Eystersted, that tlie most 

 valuable species is to be found. This breed is distin- 

 guished by the length, the fineness, and the whiteness 

 of their wool. About 1 50,000 pounds of this wool is 

 produced annually, of which 30,000 are used in the 

 country, and the remainder is sent into the other provin- 

 ces of Denmark, to Hamburgh, and to Holland. In 

 the higher districts of the duchies, too, as well as in 

 Jutland and the isles, great numbers of sheep are raised. 

 Their wool, though it has not the superior qualities of 

 that of Eystersted, of England, or of Spain, is, never- 

 theless, very valuable for the purposes of the country. 

 The -wool of the islands, excepting that of Zealand, is 

 somewhat inferior. They sheer the sheep twice in the 

 year. They are also in the habit of milking the ewes, 

 ibr the purpose of making cheese. A Danish writer 

 has computed the number of sheep in Jutland and the 

 islands at 849,000. Goats, which are not allowed to 

 be at large in Denmark, are scarcely to be found, ex- 

 cept in the heaths of Jutland. Swine are raised in 

 great numbers, and the farmer often derives consider- 

 able profits from these animals. The breed in the east- 

 ern parts of Jutland is small, and easily maintained. 

 Those of the west are larger, and sometimes weigh 

 eighteen stones. Besides supplying themselves, the in- 

 habitants send annually about 10,000 cwt. of bacon to 

 Norway, Holland, Hamburgh, and Lubeck. Great 

 numbers of live hogs are also shipped on the Eyder 

 and the Elbe. Poultry of all kinds form a profitable part 

 of the produce of most farms, particularly geese and 

 ducks, whose feathers are sold to great advantage for 

 beds. The culture of bees, though formerly more ex- 

 tensive, is by no means neglected. In the islands of 

 Funen, Falster, and Bornholm, the greatest quantity 

 of honey is produced. The culture of bees is also very 

 general in the peninsula; the schoolmasters in particu- 

 lar attend to it, and practise it very successfully. 



The immense forests, which formerly covered a great 

 part of Denmark, abounded in wild animals. But in 

 proportion as these forests have been cleared, ami agri- 

 culture has improved, the more ravenous and destruc- 

 tive species have here, as every where else, almost en- 

 tirely disappeared, and the others have greatly decreas- 

 «. I. Boars are now no where to be found. The wolves 

 are reduced to a very small number ; but foxes are nu- 

 merous, and hunting them a very common amusement. 

 The hart and the deer are not scarce. Hares are plen- 

 ty, and we sometimes meet with rabbits, though this 

 animal does not appear to be a native of Denmark. 

 The principal wild-fowl are the wild goose, the wild 

 duck, the snipe, the swan, the moor-fowl, the wood- 

 cock, &c. This last is chiefly found in the woods of 



VOL. VII. PART II. 



Wild 



r.ials. 



Jutland. Sea-fowl abound in the districts of the marsh- Statistics. 

 es, and on the small islands on the western coast of "*~V"""' 

 the peninsula. The island of Sylt furnishes annually 

 nearly 40,000 wild ducks. 



The fisheries are of much more importance. It Fisheries 

 is said that the fishes were formerly more abundant 

 in the Danish seas than the}' are now. The produce 

 of these seas, however, is still sufficiently important, and 

 might become yet more so were the fisheries under 

 better regulations. The coasts of Zealand, of Funen, 

 and of the other islands, furnish productive fisheries. In 

 these seas the mackerel and whiting abound. Of all 

 the waters which wash the Danish coasts, those of 

 Limfiord, with its numerous arms, seem best adapted 

 for this purpose. Here they fish chiefly herrings and 

 eels. In the neighbourhood of Skag and Fladstrand, 

 as well as on the whole coast of Wensyssel, they take 

 the best fish, flounders, and cod. The gulfs of Mana- 

 ger and Randers are full of fish, and afford excellent 

 salmon. In the gulf of Veyle are found several kinds 

 of flat fish, herrings, and small cod. In all these gulfs 

 the sea is so little salt, that fresh water fishes thrive in 

 them. The carp of Limfiord are not, however, so good 

 as those of the ponds. On the western coast of Jut- 

 land, the greater part of the inhabitants are employed 

 in the fisheries. The salmon, the bretfish, the flounder, 

 and the cod, are the principal species found in those 

 parts. According to the registers of the custom-house 

 of Aalburg, this city exported yearly from 1720 to 

 1730 above 23,109 tons of salted herrings, but from 

 1754 to 176.5 their exportation amounted only to 8298 

 tons. The Swedes, who had hitherto been supplied 

 with herrings by the Danes, now began to rival them in 

 this branch of industry. The want of credit diminish- 

 ed the fisheries of Limfiord ; and at present the great- 

 er part of the herring taken on the coast of Jutland are 

 consumed in the Danish states. The white fish aref 

 dried and salted, and either sold in the country, or sent 

 to Lubeck, the merchants of which place forward them 

 to Italy and Poland. In the river or bay of Slie and 

 the gulf of Flensburg, are taken a small species of her- 

 ring of excellent quality. This fishery, which was fa- 

 mous several centuries ago, still exists. The herrings 

 make their appearance in March, April, and May; they 

 are found also in autumn, but in small numbers. The 

 proprietors whose lands lie along the Slie, to whom 

 the fisheries belong, farm them out. Besides what are 

 consumed in the Country, they export annually of the 

 herrings taken here, nearly 1000 tons to Germany and 

 Copenhagen. The fishery of the small cod called aigre~ 

 Jin, below the island of Heligoland, employs about 

 three hundred individuals, and a number of vessels of 

 particular construction. The inhabitants of the 

 village of Blankensen, and of some other places 

 on the lordship of Pinneberg, employ about 1 50 ves- 

 sels in the neighbouring fisheries. The produce, which 

 is valued at 100,000 dollars yearly, is carried chiefly to 

 Altona, Hamburgh, and Holland. In 1767, there was 

 established at Altona a North sea herring company. 

 The grant was for ten years ; but before the expira- 

 tion of that term, the king bought up the deeds, and 

 the fishery has since been carried on, on his account. 

 In both the fishery and the preparation of the herring, 

 they imitate, as nearly as possible, the practice of the 

 Dutch. The produce amounts to 6000 tons yearly, a 

 considerable part of which goes to Hamburgh, to St 

 Petersburgh, and even to Hungary. The coasts of 

 Jutland possess oyster-banks, rich enough to afford a 

 considerable supply for exportation. Among the islands 

 situated along the western coast of Sleswick, are found 

 4 N 



