282 
A^ricultiwe of Denmark. 
from the preponderating influence of tlie nobles and large pro- 
prietors. In Sleswig, for instance, this class, though it only 
numbers twenty—one voters, sends nine members to the As- 
sembly, and, as it is for the interest of these proprietors to retain 
the old measurement, their party will probably oppose the intro- 
duction of any new system, however beneficial to the country at 
large. Those small farmers who have much improved their 
land, and would, by a new law, be subject to higlier taxes, will 
also continue to oppose a change. 
The Duchy of Sleswig is taxed at the rate of 19,257 " Plove," 
the Duchy of Holstein for 1G,812 "Plove." 
The system of Life-Lease or Forced Leasehold (called 
*' Fcesteforholdet "), or the relation between landlord and lessee, 
is a question which in Denmark has had the greatest influence 
on the progress of agriculture and on the condition of the smaller 
farmers or yeomen (Bonder). Since the constitution of 1848 
was granted this question has caused much contention between 
the two principal political parties of the country — the supporters 
of the yeomen, and those of the larger proprietors. 
In the earliest time, and up to the twelfth and thirteenth 
century, the rural population was divided into two classes, the 
yeomen (Bonden) and the bondmen (Tradlen). The yeomen 
weie all on an equality ; they alike took part in wars, they had 
votes in the election of the kings, and were entitled to be present 
at the " Ting," where legal trials took place, cScc. In the 
thirteenth century, however, the foundation was laid for a greater 
distinction between the different inliabitants of the rural districts, 
inasmuch as some of them were chosen men-at-arms (Hoermcend), 
and took upon themselves to meet fully equipped for war, when 
called upon by the King. As a recompense the King gave 
them large tracts of uncultivated land, whereby the foundation of 
feudal estates was laid in Denmark. These proprietors became 
later the all-powerful feudal lords ; independent of such pro- 
perties the King gave them considerable privileges, which in- 
creased as the importance of these lords augmented, so that the 
yeomen who did not become men-at-arms or feudal lords were, 
to a certain extent, their subordinates. 
About this period the system of Life-Lease (Fcesteforholdet) 
commenced. Good land, except that in the possession of the feudal 
lords, had now become scarce, and the Avaste land was not worth 
cultivating ; it was therefore not strange if the yeomen, who had 
no property of their own, and the bondmen who were liberated 
as civilization advanced, sought to obtain a livelihood by renting 
or leasing land from the feudal lords. It was utterly impossible 
for these latter to cultivate all the large grants of land which they 
had received from the King, and they therefore readily leased it 
