News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-07-05
THE DANISH FARMER.
Life as it is in the family of the
Peasantry.

The penastry of Denmark are divided
into four distinct classes, namely. tn,
"Gaardmand" pronounced Germany, O
yeoman farmer, who either owns or rent
from thirty to eighty-five acres (English)
secondly, the "Parcelist, who owns o.
rents from eight to thirty acres; thirdly
the "Husmand" or cottager, with from
one to eight acres; and lastly, the "In
sider," who generally rents his cottage
and garden plot; and from this last class
it is that the laboring men are prin.
cipally drawn.
Until marriage the laboring men are
fed and lodged upon the farm where
they work, and in one of the buildings
just referred to are the dormitories
for the "Kare," of which up on
twelve, besides the foreman; there, too,
is the roomy kitchen, and the refectory,
where these stalwart hungry youths are
fed; and particularly well fed, too, par
taking of no less than five good meals o
day. At 6 in the morning their break
fast is served, consisting of huge slices
of bread and butter-cut by macine-
with coffee, and q small glass of
o4AnRDg VI WILL b4aAAA . O4 bAO oAttA
of Zealand this early meal is a kind of
thick soup made of rye bread and beer,
with which a salt herring is eaten. At
noon dinner, which is soup or porridge,
followed by meat, or goldfish, or pork,
with vegetables and beer; at 4 P. NJ.
bread and butter, cheese, beer, and
more snaps, and finally, q supper of
porridge with milk. Would that all
u own farm hands Jared as we'll The
foreman's wages amounts to 200 kroner,
or e1I Is. Cd. per annum, the ordinary
''karle's" to eS Is. per annum; and as
their main expense is their clothes,
which, being chiefly of durable home
spun, are not costly, they contrive as a
rule to have considerable savings by the
time they marry, and this they seldom
do before 80. The farm hands are hired
by the half year, and the whole system
has hitherto worked to the mutual
satisfaction of both laborer and employ
er. This, however is greatly due to the
fact that there exists a code of hiring
laws which provides an easy settlement
of all disputes between master and man.
Every servant, farm or domestic, is
under these laws compelled to keep a
book which is officially registered, and
wherein are written all his or her certi-
fcates of character, each one of which is
necessarily countersigned by the magis-
trate of the district wherein the master
or mistress resides.
The Gaardmand's homestead is sub
stantial, square and matched; the barns,
stables, &C., are Joined to it, forming to-
gether a quadrangular farmyard, with
the entrance gate facing the dwelling.
A. 4bo hool =, n oorIan uc1o1lu Of ohouf
th~ree-Guarters of an acre, devoted to
fruit, vegetables and hops, with a few
roses and gilly flowers near the house
door. A farmer working from sixty to
eighty acres will nave upon his farm two
CHARLES" a boy, and two girls for the
dairy; all of whom are helped in their
work by their master and his family.
Generally such a farmer keeps upon his
land fifteen or more cows, four sheep,
four horses and two goats, for every
farmer is a horse breeder more or less.
The poultry is his wife's care and per-
quisite, and forms a highly important
item in her yearly budget. These farms,
when owned by the yeoman, are, gener-
ally speaking. mort9aged for half their
value, a fact to be attributed in most in
stances TO the repeal of the law of primo
geniture. At present the parent is per-
mitted, if he pleases, to leave one-third
of his property to his eldest son, a clause
in the law of inheritance much appre-
ciated and in general use. As the valua-
ton for probate is extremely low, the
oldest son generally raises a loan with
which to buy out his brothers and sisters,
with their consent, and the race being a
practical one, endowed with generous
instincts, this modified form of ''partage
does not appear as yet to pro-
duce the jealous feuds, or to work the
evil it is known to do in other countries;
though as indeed the system has not
been long in force, it is perhaps rash to
predict that it nav effect no change for
the worse during the lapse of n century.
In cases where a loan is impossible ow-
ing to a previous mortgage, subdivision
in, and in some instances has been
repeated until the minimum area has
been reached under the new law already
referred to. Necessarily if the family
be numerous, and all elect to retain
their share in the land, they sink to the
position of Husband and have to resort
to a trade to exc out their livelihood.
Should, however, a younger member of
the family have had the good luck to
have married the child OF a wealthy
.aardmand with a good dowry, then the
newly married pair proceed to buy q
small farm of about twenty-five acres,
and become Parcelists.