Year Assessed value
Kr.
Mortages
Kr. In %
Towns 1910
1911 .
1912 .
. . . . 3 021732 260
. . . . 3141544396
. . . . 3 213 512 223
1 925176101
2 009 829102
2 095 917 823
63-7
63-9'
65-2
The whole Kingdom 1880 I
1890
1900
1910
1911 .
1912 .
. . . . 3034 784 401
. . . . 3 613 701 016
. . . . 4 501692 880
. . . . 7136 428 310
. . . . 7 298 997 356
. . . . 7 426 262 018
1125585227
1619 291829
2 155 781324
3 927 436 492
4114 622 821
4 287 644 826
37-1
44-8
47-9
55'0
56-3.
57'7
Du rin g th e last th irty years, therefore, both th e assessed value of real
as well as that of the mortgages resting on .it, have steadily and continuously
increased. This increase, is specially noticeable during the last decade. In spite
of the great increase in the assessed value, the proportion borne towards this
value by the amount of the mortgage debts has, too, risen very considerably.
Among the various Ians of Sweden, in 1912, the mortgage-percentage was
highest in the City of Stockholm (71‘4), Jamtland Lan (72's) and Malmohus
Lan (64’j), while it was lowest id the Liins of Vasterbotten (39'6) and Yaster-
norrland (42'3).
Cf. also Mortgage Institutions.
Loans and Grants for Cultivation.
State grants, in the form of loans, are made from the so-called Cultivation
Loan Fund for the reclaiming of boggy lands. The amount- of the loan can
amount to the calculated expense of — the subsoil draining excepted i l ditching
the land in question, but must not exceed 70 % of the estimated improved value
of the land which is gained by means of the work in question. On making the
grant, the condition is attached that all suitable land affected by the undertaking
must be placed under cultivation. Since 1883, when the loan-fund was
established, the loan-conditions have several times been altered to the advantage
of the borrowers. According to the conditions now in force (dating from
October 9, 1914), no interest is paid on the loan during the first three years.
The interest is reckoned at the rate of 3'e % per annum, and is
added to the capital sum of the loan, after which, from the beginning-of the
seventh year, an annuity is to be paid of 6 % on the total capital thus obtained,
of which 6 %, 3’6 % is reckoned as interest and the^remainder as amortization.
The annual payment has to be made when the Crown taxes are paid. The
Cultivation Loan Fund is administered by the Exchequer, while the Government
has the right to grant loans from the fund. The total amount of these, loans,
however, must not exceed 1 million kronor. During the last few years, grants
have been made to an amount of 800 000—-900 000 kronor annually. During
the period 1884—1912,. a total amount' of 18 486 700 kronor was granted in
cultivation-loans for the draining of 143 459 hectares of boggy land, representing
1 041 different enterprises, of which, during the period 1902—12, there was
advanced a total sum of 8 8 6 4 7 7 0 kronor, for 62 883 hectares, representing
627 enterprises.
In addition to this, the Riksdag, for a number of years in succession, has
made grants, free from the condition of repayment, to the amount of 300 000
—700 000 kronor annually, to aid such bog-draining and carrying-off of water,
the aim of which is to diminish the liability to frost of the land in the
neighbouring cultivated tracts. During the years 1884—1906, a total sum of
5 053 973 kronor was granted to 1 226 such undertakings, of which about 80 %
was for the benefit of the three most northerly Ians.
From and including 1907, this grant was divided into two; the Norrland
draining grant and the General grant for the diminution of frost. From the
former grant, help-is given to reclaiming enterprises in Norrland and Dalarno,
whether their aim be to gain land for arable or grazing purposes, or merely to
to diminish the liability to frost. During the last few years, the grants have
amounted to 700 000 kronor annually, but for 1912 they were increased to
800 000 kronor and for 1913 and 1914 to 1 1 0 0 000 kronor annually. For 1915
a grant of 1 900 000 kronor has been placed at the disposal of the authorities
who Have this matt,er in hand, to be employed for the same purposes. During
the period 1907— 12, the total of the first grant amounted to 4 1 1 0 830 kronor,
for the draining of 84 611 hectares, representing 832 undertakings.
From the general grant for the diminution of frost, grants have been made
for such enterprises in the. other parts of the country the object of which is
to diminish the danger of frost for the neighbouring cultivated tracts. During
the years 1.907-—T2, there have been granted 764 130 kronor for the draining
of 12 887 hectares, representing 162 enterprises. These grants came to an end
with the year 1912.
For the year 1912, the Riksdag made a further grant, the General draining
grant of 300 000 kronor, an amount which, for the year 1913, was increased
'.o "450 000 kronor. This grant is to be used for the benefit of other parts of
the kingdom than Norrland and : Dalarne, in accordance with the regulations
and conditions laid down for the Norrland draining grants. Not more than
150.000 kronor of th'e amount, however, may be employed for the draining of
such land, when the operation in question is only for the purpose of diminishing
the tendency to. frost. State contributions are made from the above-mentioned
grants, the amount of each of which may amount to not more than one-half of
the estimated cost of draining. In order to obtain a subvention from the general
draining grant for 1913- the condition is also attached that, when the grant is
to be employed for the draining of land suitable for arable- and meadow-land,
the;; said grant-may- not |.e more than one-third of the estimated total cost.
From this grant, during 1912, there has been advanced a total sum of 143 980
kronor for the draining of 1 537 hectares, representing 23 undertakings.
From the year 1907 inclusive, there has, in addition, been made available
the Norrlaml land-reclaiming fund for the promotion of the reclamation of
waste lands in Norrland and- Dalarne. From this fund grants are made, as
far as circumstances permit, to County Councils and Agricultural Societies
there that have expressed their willingness to grant loans to small farmers who
intend—to bring suitable.' waste land under cultivation. The loan is free from
interest the first year, after which interest at the rate of 3 / per annum is
added to the. . capital advanced. Such loans made by the County Councils or
Agricultural Societies may not exceed -500 kronor in each case, and on no
account may they exceed one-half of the estimated expense of. reclaiming the
land. During the years 1911^-15 the sum advanced from the fund amounted
to 1 021 705 kronor, distributed over 2 894 loans. The area of the land
reclaimed was 13 607 hectares, and - the estimated total expense of the work
2 955 941 kronor.
In addition, the Riksdag has made a grant of 100 000 kronor, to begin with
the year 1915 inclusive and to be known as the General land-reclaiming fund,
which is to be employed for parts of '-the country other than Norrland and Dalarne.
The conditions on which the loans are granted are the same as those
or the fund just mentioned, though interest on the unpaid capital-amount is
reckoned at 4 %.