318 
Agriculture of Denmarl>. 
oiik in the country, the timber in most houses was of that material, 
but it is now found clieaper to import fir and pine timber from 
abroad, the firs of this country being too young foi such a 
purpose. Tlie oak of the country is exclusively used for ship- 
building, and is not sufHcient to supply what is required for that 
purpose. 
The import of timber is therefore considerable : thus, about 
400,000 to 500,000 cubic feet of oak, 5,000,000 to G,000,000 
cubic feet and about b<),000 commercial lasts of fir are annually 
imported. The oak comes principally from Pomerania, the fir 
chiefly from Norway and Sweden, but also from Prussia, &c. The 
forests of beech are most valuable in supplying fuel ; in woody 
districts it is exclusively used ; where there is less woodland, 
peat replaces it. The import and export of wood for fue. are 
about equal ; for, while Hamburg and other places are annually 
supplied with about 20,000 fathoms of beechwood, a similar 
quantity of fir for fuel is imported from Prussia. 
Peat is, as already stated, the chief fuel in the districts des- 
titute of wood, and, fortunately for Denmark, there are many 
turf-bogs in the country ; they cover an area of 1650 English 
square miles, or about 8 per cent, of the monarchy ; they are 
spread nearly all over the country, with the exception of the 
marshes in the duchies, where, from the absence of wood as well 
as of peat, fuel is obtained with difficulty ; as a substitute, a kind 
of turf, which is dug at low-water from the bottom of the sea, 
on the coast, and the straw of wheat and stems of rape are fre- 
quently used for baking purposes. 
The supply of peat varies much in quality. That found in 
Jutland, spread to no great depth over a large surface, is very 
loose and light, seldom weighing more than 16 to 26 pounds 
per cubic foot ; it burns easily, but does not give great heat. 
The bogs or pits in Sealand, though less extensive, are deep, and 
give a more compact turf, which affords greater heat ; one cubic 
foot of this turf generally weighs 35 pounds. The people are 
not economical in working the peat-bogs, partly from their great 
extent and parti} f'r want of draining, which prevents digging 
to a greater depth tlian 5 or 6 feet ; this is particularly the case 
in Jutland. On Sealand some Hanoverian turf-cutters have of 
late been introduced, who, by greater skill, are able to dig deeper, 
so as to effect a great saving ; they adopt the Wcstphalian method 
of kneading the turf in wooden boxes, thereby producing a 
superior peat. 
On the island of Bornholm, which is destitute both of wood 
and turf, coal is found about 16 to 20 feet below the surface, in 
layers extending to a depth not yet ascertained. These seam.s 
are of various thickness — from a couple of inches to a couple of 
