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537

(1904) Author: Gustav Sundbärg
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Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Second part - VI. Agriculture and Cattle-Breeding - 1. Agriculture. Partly after information from P. Lundell, Ebbetorp, Member of the Riksdag - The Cultivation of Cereals - Root-crops

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ROOT-CROPS.

537

The prices of cereals in Sweden during the last few decades are shown
by Table 74. The figures are probably somewhat too low in general,
but show, pretty nearly in any case, the tendency of the changes in
price. Since 1888, these prices have been dependent, in a certain degree,
upon the duty — as they were during the period before 1858. During
the years 1858/87 cereals were, on the contrary, admitted duty-free to
the country.

The Straw-crop, finally, in a way also belongs to the corn-cultivation.
On an average, the straw-crop is calculated upon the autumn-seed (wheat
and rye) at about 30, and upon the spring-seed, at about 20 quintals
or a little more, per hectare. The total amount will, then, be at present
about 14 million quintals autumn-seed straw, and about 24 million
quintals spring-seed straw, or altogether, 38 million quintals. Other
calculations give a somewhat higher result.

Boot-crops.

The root-crops cultivated to any greater extent in Sweden are,
apart from those of market-gardens: potatoes, sugar-beet, turnips, swedes,
and carrots. The area of land used for the purpose amounted in 1900
to 203,575 hectares, or 5-7 8 % of the whole extent of arable ground.

A) Potatoes were brought to Sweden as early as 1723, by Jonas
Alströmer. At the beginning of the 19th century, however,
potato-cultivation had gained but little ground; the area devoted to the
purpose probably did not exceed 5,000 hectares. By the middle of the
century this area had increased to more than 80,000 hectares, and
amounted in 1900 to 154,645. How the crop has increased is shown
by the diagram on page 538.

During the period 1891/1900 there were gathered annually in Sweden
13,286,000 quintals of potatoes’(if a hectoliter is taken as weighing 70 kg.).
Per inhabitant, this corresponds to 269 kg., which is but little inferior
to the average figure for "Western Europe, which was 304 kg. If we
take away the seed-potatoes, which are given as amounting to about
18-j hectol. or 1,270 kilog. per hectare, the annual consumption in
Sweden during the period named, amounted to about 228 kg. per head. The
import of potatoes is, on the whole, inconsiderable; it has, however,
increased of låte years. About 1 million quintals are used annually in
the manufacture of spirits.

The crop per hectare amounted in the years 1891/1900 to 84-3
quintals on an average, against 101-1 quintals for the whole of Western
Europe. Curiously enough, this relative production seems to have been
greater in our country in the first part of the century than it is at
present, a fact which may probably be attributed to a more carefol
cultivation, at a time when potato-growing was comparatively new.

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