NO RICH, NO POOR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3683, 19 November 1912, Page 5

NO RICH, NO POOR.

CO-OPERATION IN DENMARK

EUROPE’S MODEL FARMERS

Denmark is the pioneer country in scientific fanning, and its experiments in co-operation, amongst the people are watched with interest all over the world. The following is a condensed statement (from “Hoard’s Dairyman”) of a report supplied by Dr M. F. Egan, American Minister in Denmark, to his Government:— “To-day the Danish ' farmer buys nothing individually. He uses no seeds till they have been tested hy experts furnished by the co-operative society. Ho buys his fertilisers, soja beans, from Manchuria, cotton seed meal from the United States, through the co-operative society. He never kills his own hogs, though there are 500 hogs to every 1000 persons in Denmark, but sends them into the cooperative bacon factories.

GOVERNMENT EXPERT AIDS. “He has, through the co-operative society, the use of a scientific expert, who visits his farm every 18 days and answers all questions after consultation with him. Furthermore, he keeps a- duplicate set of books for the farmer,- so that the farmer knows exactly the amount of butter fat each cow yields every week, when the eows are expected to calve, the value of the service of every bull in use, and the exact position of the farmer economically and agriculturally. For this service the farmer pays the expert Is 3d yearly per cow, the Government paying the rest of the expert’s salary—the expert being attached to the Royal Danish Co-operative Society. , “Denmark is a country which comprises 15,000 square miles. It supports at least- 2,500,000 persons in very good condition, and sends out of the country each year, at a conservative estimate, £30,000,000 worth of butter, bacon and eggs. The British market is retained not alone by the invariable quantity sCnt out, summer and winter, but by the invariable quality, Danish butter being the high-est-priced butter in the British market.

“I was sent hy the Dcptartment of State to expose to dairymen, and farmers especially interested in dairying, the methods by which the Danes have become the most prosperous people agriculturally in Europe. AVhcn I say most prosperous, I mean hy comparison, and taking into consideration the obstacles t-liov have had to meet and overcome. The wealth, per capita of Denmark is comparatively next to that of England. This wealth, ! however, is equalised. There are no ; very rich people there. Every man is I fairly well off, but the poorer ho is, the more carefully does he conserve his resources. Material well-being is as common in Denmark as education. I “There is no illiteracy in the country. Every man, woman and child i over the age of seven years, unless he jbe an idiot-, can read and write. The ! methods by which they have achieved their present, prosperity are three: Education practical education a perfect system of co-operation, and tho intelligent assistance of Government. “The only means of living which the Danes have is agriculture. Denmark, like Julius Caesar’s Gaul of ancient days, is divided into three parts —butter, bacon and eo-o-.s. Now, the Government docs everything in its power to increase the number of small farmers, and this it has done by making money as cheap as possible to the farmers. It controls a great series or hanks, managed somewhat after the manner of the Credit Foncier.. LOANS TO FARM LABORERS. i “An agricultural laborer in Den- j .mark, who has worked oil a farm for five years, who has a character so good that two reputable members of his commune will certify to it, may obtain from one of these hanks a loan of about £320. Ho obtains this solely on Ills character and ability and not by any material security ho can .offer. With this money lie may purchase a farm of from 3-J- to 12 acres. This farm means live and; dead stock on the land and the necessary implements for tho working of it. The amount loaned hy the bank covers probably nine-tenths of the value of the farm—not of tho land, because land in Denmark is never sold merely as land. The farm is judged hy the value of its production, for, let us sav, at least seven years in hard corn, which represents its ability to sustain dairy cattle and hogs.”

The basis of success in dairying is scrupulous cleanliuess. Every dairyfarmer recognises this. There are,' however, new branches of dairying activity wherein the fact seems to ho less recognised than it is in the older avenues. One <o,f these exceptions is said to be that of milking machines. Mr. J. R. Scott, secretary of the South Island Dairy Association, is an authority for the statement. In a speech- he delivered very lately be be-' gan by.saying lie had no desire whaeever to run down the milking machines, but lie. did want to say, most emphatically, that unless the milking machine was leapt absolutely clean, it provided one of the greatest dangers the dairy industry bad. to-day. The machine could be kept clean, but in Iris experience they were not in 80 .cases out of 100. .: