A(jricuUure of Denmark. 
281 
the Danish monarchy Avill be seen from this comparative 
Table :— 
Geographical 
Squttie MUcs. 
Aralilc land and mavslics GTti 
Heatlis and (iiiicksand 175 
Moss-land and uncultivated bog-meadows 74 
Woodland 49 
Lakes !■> 
Roads, hedges, dykes, ditches, and building-grounds .. 41 
Total 1030 
In the duchies of Sleswio; and Holstein no means of assess- 
ment or of ascertaining^ the value of land, like that of " Hartkorn," 
exist ; in almost every district the local measure differs in name 
and content, so that it is next to impossible to give satisfactory 
information on this head. Here the basis of assessment is the 
" Plov " (ploug^h), as "Hartkorn" in the kingdom. By a 
" Plov " Avas orig-inally understood so much land as could be cul- 
tivated with one plough. As early as the commencement of the 
thirteenth century the term was used in legal enactments. It 
had, however, reference only to arable land under cultivation, 
and consequently not to woodland, heaths, bogs, &c., but when 
these, in the course of time, Avere cleared and cultivated, the 
value of land assessed under the head of " Plov " varied con- 
siderably. This mode of assessment underwent a revision in 
the years 1643-52, but only the gi-eatest errors and injustice Avere 
thereby removed. Different properties are now frequently met 
Avith having lands of equal quality, Avhere in the one case 150 
acres, in the other 300 acres of land constitute one " P1oa\" It 
is therefore impossible to state the positive quantity of land 
required to make a " Plov," but on an average it may be cal- 
culated to be equal to about 14 tons of " Hartkorn," or 175 acres 
of land of average quality. Certain properties Avhich, up to that 
time, had been free from all taxes, and Avere not divided into 
" Plove," Avere, by a royal decree of 31st December, 1800, 
ordered to be taxed, and had therefore to be so divided. On 
this occasion it Avas decided that these new " Plove " should be 
calculated at 125 acres of land each, and this Avas the first in- 
stance Avhen a fixed quantity of land Avas assigned to a " PIoa ." 
This question of measurement of land in the duchies is one 
that has of late been often made the subject of debate, both 
privately and in the provincial Diets of the duchies ; part of the 
population of both duchies earnestlv desire the introduction of 
a practical system, as that of " Hartkorn " in the kingdom, 
but, so long as the present system of election to the Diets of the 
duchies exists, this proposal Avill meet Avith great opposition 
