490 Cultivated Area of Denmark. 



tions of grass land, inclusive of marsh pasturage, at the two 

 periods is returned as follows : — 



Grasses. 



1S96. 



1888. 



Clover and Rotation Grasses 

 Permanent and Temporary Pastures 



JNfeadows 



Rough Pasture 



Marsh Pasture ----- 



Acres. 



655,287 

 1,680,634 



561,142 



71,415 

 160,197 



Acres. 



456,585 

 1,811,417 



565,593 

 248,855 

 126,409 



Total 



3,128,675 



3,208,859 



It will be noted that while clover and rotation grasses 

 have gained nearly 200,000 acres, permanent and temporary 

 pastures have lost about 131,000 acres. The considerable 

 diminution shown in the acreage of rough pasture is due 

 partly to re-classification, land formerly returned as rough 

 pasture being now included under other headings, and 

 partly to the fact that some of the land has been 

 brought under the plough. Taken in connection with 

 the development of dairy farming in Denmark, the changes 

 to which reference has just been made, viz., the incre ase 

 in the area of roots and the extension of the cultivation 

 of clover and rotation grasses, indicate that stall-feeding, 

 which is largely practised by Danish dairy farmers, is 

 becoming more and more popular. 



Marsh pastures, which embraced 126,409 acres in 1888, are 

 credited with 160,197 acres in 1896, the difference is in this 

 case also said to be due mainly to re-classification, land 

 being now classed as marsh-land which was formerly entered 

 as moor and meadow land. Thus if the total areas under 

 all forms of grass at the two periods are compared the diffe- 

 rence represents a contraction since 1888 to the extent of 

 80,184 acres. 



Market gardens, orchards, and pleasure gardens, which 

 covered 69,737 acres at the earlier inquiry, are returned as 

 occupying 78,699 acres : viz., market gardens and orchards 

 65,280 acres, and pleasure gardens 13,419 acres. The area 

 of fallow in 1896 is given as 676,036 acres as compared with 

 637,696 acres in 1888. 



