The Intensification of Finnish Farming

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Abstract
Forestry and farming, always complementary in Finland, are now becoming increasingly competitive. Because of its high latitude, Finland lies upon the margin of the so-called zone of agriculture; its highly variable production is related to both summer frosts and shortness of growing season. It is greatly interested in changes brought about by experiments in the growth conditions of plants. Plant breeding has brought spectacular results in reducing dependence on outside supplies, smoothing out regional differences in domestic production and bringing primary changes in types of grain produced. The spring-wheat area greatly expanded after 1940 and there was a swing from "black" to white bread. Indigenous grass strains were improved and new methods of fodder conservation produced superior concentrates. Because natural manures are insufficient, emphasis was placed upon the heavily subsidized imported artificial fertilizers. Mechanization of Finnish farms has been slow[long dash]due, in part, to the small size of tillable land and shortness of the season. There has been a relative fast speed of diffusion of biological and technical improvements in agricultural education, but a lag in the appreciation of forest biology and forest technique. Although her timber resources are satisfactorily maintained, a program of woodland improvement[long dash]draining,selective,cutting,pruning, thinning etc.[long dash]is urged in order to keep pace with industrial demands.

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