Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 06.djvu/158

* DENMABK. 126 DENMARK. the Cattcgiit, which rewives the Giuler. Aa. The last luinied is the hiiyest river of Denmark, and has a length of about 100 miles. Clim.tk. The climate of Denmark is like that of eastern Scotland, but it is somewliut warmer in summer and colder in winter. The mean temiH-rature at Copenhajjcn is about 00° V. in summer and about 32° in winter. In {general the islands have a milder dinuite than Jut- land. In winter the Sound and other diannels are sometimes filled with drifting ice; the block- ade, however, does not continue for any length of time. HcaN-j' rains are frequent in autumn, and mists in summer, especially on the western coast of Jutland. Flob.v. The flora of Denmark includes many of the common European plants, and a number of species peculiar to the moorlands. Kormcrly there vere extensive forests of pine and lir, but these trees are now practically limited to culti- vated lands. The trees most commonly found are the oak and the beech. About 5 per cent, of the total area is forested. F.vv-N".. The fauna has no noteworthy char- acteristics. Fishes and aquatic birds abound. Salmon are found in the Guden Aa, and oysters in a few localities. ^^ Geology. With the exception of Bomholm, which belongs physically to Sweden, the entire area of Denmark may be regarded as a continua- tion of the plains of North Germany. The sur- face consists of boulder clay and .sand, resting upon stratified rocks of generally Cretaceous age. The clay was deposited during the Pleistocene epoch by the Scandinavian ice-sheet. In the west and north of Jutland there are large tracts of moorlands which yield peat, but no metallic ores occur in any part of the country. Bornliolm is formed by Paleozoic and Meso/.oic rocks, and has the same geological structure as the southern part of Sweden. Kaolin and a poor grade of coal are mined on this island. Agricilture. Denmark proper is essentially an agricultural country. About 80 per cent, of the total land surface is productive, and of this area about So per cent, is arable. 41 is pasture, and the remainder is mainly forest. Xearly 47 per cent, of the population are engaged in agri- culture. The laws forbid the uniting of small farms into large ones, and favor tlic parceling out of landed estates. The peasant proprietors are consequently increasing both in nnmlicr and importance. The division of the land into verj' small holdings is successfully associated with n well-dcvelojied system of coiiperation. which en- ables small farmers to use the most improved and expensive machinery, etc. Tenants in good standing have absolute charge of their land. Of the total area in crops in l.S!)(>. about 17 per cent, was in oats. 12 per cent, in rye. and 11 per cent in barley. Wheat, potatoes, and bi-et-root are also ini|)ortant products. The value of llic grain .•ind hay crop for 1800 was about .$S,"),2r)0,0tl0. Stock-raising is a prominent industrv. In 1808 there were 440,204 horses, 1,743,440 "cattle, and 1,074.413 shiH'p in the country. The dairy in- dustry is foslered by the general co(">[K'ra( ivc plan mcntiiiiied above, and has reached a high degree of development. I>nniark butter is of a superior grade, and the trade in it has increased at a re- markable rale. Mamfacti'RK.s. The mnnufacfuring indus- tries arc chicllv on a small scale. The census of 1897 gives the number of industrial establish- ments as 77,250, employing nearly 177,000 wage- earners, or about 7 per cent, of the total |i(ipula- tion. Of these establishments but 1002 had a working force of from 20 to 100, and only 105 employed over 100 hands each. The principal manufactures arc furniture, foodstull's, articles of apparel, and metal products. The textile in- dustries are conlincd chielly to the rural dis- tricts. Manufacturing is increasing in im]ior- tance. partly in consequence of the industrial schools. Most of the important plants are in Copenhagen. In 1000 the distilleries in the whole country numbered 52, the sugar factories and refineries 25, and the breweries 42. In that year 4".1,(!7S tons of beet sugar and 18.254 tons of margarin and oleomargarine were produced. There is some manufacturing of machinery and of pottery; also a little iroiismelting. The in- dustrial joint-stock comiianics of Denmark are a significant feature in its manufacturing devel- opment. Their combined capital nearly dcmblcil during the last decade of the nineteenth century. Tb.N.S1'0RTAT10.N ANIl CoMSllMCATlON. Most of the towns of Denmark arc situated on the coast or on navigable rivers. Steamboats ply con- stantly between the islands. The first railway within the present confines of the country (Co- jicnhagcn-Hocskildc) was constructed by a pri- vate company and o|iencd for trallic in 1847. Prior to 1880 the State railway lines were con- fined to the mainland and the island of Fiinen, while private companies controlled all lines on the islands of Zealand, Laaland, and Falster. In 1880 the Government jiasscd a bill authoriz- ing the acquisition of the Zealand lines. In 1001, out of a total of 1810 mires, tlic State owned 1 lOS miles, the total cost of which up to March 31, 1001, was over .$00,300,000. Therc were 2413 miles of State telegraph lines at the end of 1000. The merchant marine of Denmark and the colo- nies comprised, at the same period, 3773 vessels with a total registered tonnage of 408,440, in- cluding .52 steamers with a tonnage of over 250,- 000. During 1000 there entered the Danish ports, aside from coasting vessels, about 33,400 vessels, with a tonnage of nearly 3,000.000. CoMMERCK. The commercial expansion of Den- mark during the last decade of the ninclei'iith century was very considerable. The imports show a gain from .'?82,300.000 in 1800 to over .$141,000,000 in 1000. while the exports increased fnmi $02,000,000 to nearly $105,500,000. These figures exclude precious metal. The cxiiorts of Denmark consist almost entirely of animal and dairy products. The imports are chiefly cereals, animal and dairy products, coal, metals, and hardware, tcxtih•:^, and groceries. (Germany oc- cupies the first rank in the imjiort trade of fhe country, furnishing about 30 per cent, of the iinjiorts. Great Britain follows (20 per cent.), then the I'nited .States (15 per cent.). Sweden. Norway, and Russia. In the export trade Great Britain stands first, faking nearly (iO per cent, of ttie total shipments — mostly butter (nearly .$40,- 000,000 in 1000), live stock, and eggs. The other couiitriis importing from Denmark are. in onlcr of their import iiiicc, fJermany, Sweden ami Nor- way, and l!iH-ia. The trade <if the I'nited Slates with Denmark has increased with very great rapiditv. In 1S05 it amounted to about $3,300,000, Aviiile in l!m0 it rcacheil nearlv $23.- 000,000, of which amount onlv about ,$1,850,000