Page:Economic Development in Denmark Before and During the World War.djvu/90

74 Danish Co-operative Egg Export Society that it at once took up the export; it was a development from the top. In the butter export the case was reversed; the various produce societies were formed, the local co-operative societies, and only then followed associations for the export of butter.

The butter export to England prospered well, energetic wholesale dealers having greatly simplified and speeded the sales. But the co-operative dairies were not satisfied with the returns; and in 1888 they organized The Farmers of Denmark Butter Export Association. This organization was never recognized by the majority of the co-operative societies, however, and in 1908 it was forced out of business on account of some imposture. In the nineties, however, a number of new export unions sprang up, and by 1914 they had taken over one fifth of the whole butter export trade of Denmark. Many of the co-operative bacon factories also combined in an independent association. Finally, the Danish Bacon Agency, founded in 1902, now embraces a great number of the co-operative bacon factories.

Cattle-breeding societies were first founded in 1884 with the simple aim of procuring a bull of excellent breed and at the same time cows of the members are kept under control. In 1887 an act was passed granting subsidies to these societies (amended and extended in 1902, and again, as mentioned before, in 1912). Similar action was taken to improve the breeds of horses and, to a less extent, the breeds of hogs. A more important movement for improving the breed of domestic animals was started in the nineties by the control societies, which undertook to tabulate the quantity of milk yielded by the individual cows and examine the effect upon them of the quantities and constituents of various kinds of foods. These societies again have associated in greater associations. All this co-operative work, conducted along the line of the friendly societies which have a parallel in the numerous live stock insurance societies and similar institutions,