the Farming of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. 365 
Kiel, the map shows that the marsh-land is succeeded by a 
tract of poor sandy land, mostly in heath ; but towards the 
vicinity of Neuminster the country becomes undulated and the 
land of better quality, studded with oaks and beeches, the fields 
being enclosed by hedges of hazel and beech, often in a state of 
luxuriant growth. In fact, the aspect of the country strongly 
resembles that of some parts of England. Thus, the geological 
constitution of the Duchies presents a close parallel to that of 
the southern part of Jutland ; the differences, which are merely 
of degree, being that the belt of marsh-land has expanded, and 
the strip of sandy heath has diminished in breadth. 
The Geest. — The farming of the Geest is very similar in prin- 
ciple to that of the dairy region of Denmark ; but generally it 
is not so good, and the dairying, in particular, is by no means 
so skilfully carried out. Twenty years ago a different verdict 
would have been given ; and, in fact, has been given even more 
recently by Mr. Rainals and other writers ; but, in the meantime^ 
the dairying of Denmark has made remarkable progress, while 
that of Schleswig-Holstein has remained stationary. 
The Duchies are the original home of that once-famous systeni 
of cropping which has been entitled ICo]?pelwirthschaft. This 
was doubtless a great stride in advance of the three-field shift 
(bare fallow, wheat, and barley), which until then had prevailed 
all over Europe. I have already shown how this Koppelwirth- 
schaft extended through Denmark to Sweden and Norway^ 
and how it has been improved in the more northern countries. 
Therefore, it will be sufficient here to add that in its original 
home the most simple rotation is : (1) Bare Fallow, (2) Rye or 
Wheat, (3) Barley, (4) Oats, (5) Seeds mown, (6 and 7) Seeds 
pastured ; but on strong land a crop of rape-seed is taken before 
the rye or wheat, and on lighter soils a second crop of oats is taken 
before the land is sown out ; and it not unfrequently happens that 
both these additions to the rotation are made, either with or 
without a corresponding extension of the period during which the 
land remains in pasture. On ordinary farms the bare fallow is 
manured, and no other course in the rotation ; but there are 
many large proprietors who follow a more enlightened system. 
A special feature of the fallow-break is that it gives an op- 
portunity to cut down the surrounding hedges for firewood ; 
but this must be done so as not to cause injury to a neighbour, 
or to expose him to the probability of injury. The farmer 
would also take care of his own interests, and would not, for 
instance, cut down a fence between fallow land and a seed-break 
which was being pastured. 
There is a general belief in the Duchies that grass will not 
grow permanently out of flood's way. This is probably an 
