314 
Agriculture of Denmark. 
will form an important branch of the agriculture of the country. 
On most of the larger properties one or more acres is assigned 
for their exclusive growth. The general drawback to more 
extensive crops on such estates is the want of a sufficient supply 
of labour ; this objection, however, is not so applicable to the 
more numerous farms of the yeomen, on which, no doubt, these 
plants will soon enter more extensively into the rotation. 
Though many varieties of garden cabbages are raised, they 
cannot be considered as forming an object to agriculturists. 
Rape. — This plant was early and extensively grown in Holstcin 
for the seed, and during the first thirty years of the present cen- 
tury it took an important position in the agriculture of that 
duchy ; from thence it was introduced into other parts of the 
monarchy, and, in consequence of the high price it fetched, and 
its great productiveness, was highly approved of; but during the 
last twenty years it has been much less cultivated, not only on 
account of the decrease in the yield (caused by injuries received 
from insects and worms in the flowering season), but also because 
it was often entirely destroyed by the frost in winter, so that the 
land had to be reploughed in spring ; and again because it proved 
exhausting to the soil, and, finally, because grain-prices have in- 
creased so much that the balance of profit is now in their favour. 
The general opinion is that, as the system of converting agricul- 
tural produce into meat and butter, by feeding cattle with cereals, 
&c., advances, so the cultivation of rape will diminish. 
The only districts in the monarchy where it is yet met with 
to any extent are those of the north-east of Holstein and the 
marshes, especially the latter. 
Among the different species of rape cultivated may be men- 
tioned winter rape (^Brassica JVapus oleifera), which, in favour- 
able years, gives better returns than the " Riibsen " {Brassica Rapa 
oleifera), which, on the other hand, is less infested with insects. 
The first-named is grown in the kingdom, the last in the duchies. 
Between 1830 and 1839 the export of rape averaged 96,143 
quarters annually, in 1840 it rose to 133,297 quarters, but in 
1855 it did not reach 37,000 quarters, while in 1859, 105,663 
quarters were exported ; of these quantities two-thirds were the 
produce of the duchies and one-third of the kingdom. Holland 
receives about half, and England, Belgium, and Hamburg the 
remainder. The export of rape-cakes averaged, between 1830 
and 1840, 11,000,000 of English pounds annually; since 1844 it 
has increased, and reached about 22,000,000 lbs. ; the largest 
quantity is shipped to England. 
Flax. — The cultivation of this plant is generally decreasing in 
Denmark ; it is to be met with in most districts, but on so 
limited a scale that it seldom more than suffices to supply the 
