146 AWAKENING OF ENGLAND. 



which does handicap the British producer in 

 Somerset is the high railway rate for farm 

 produce to London. The railway companies 

 defend their tariffs on the ground that the 

 producers do not bulk their goods in the 

 same way as the continental peasants. How, 

 though, can they explain away the fact that 

 in Denmark the railway rates for small con- 

 signments are from five to seven times as 

 cheap as the rates charged by British railways ? 



It has certainly not been an easy matter to 

 make poultry-keeping pay in Somersetshire. 

 The birds are kept on cold, damp clay of such 

 a nature that neither the Dorking nor the 

 Minorca will flourish on it. Eggs and birds 

 have to travel 133 miles to their largest market 

 — London — and low prices have ruled the 

 local market from time immemorial. So I 

 think it may be fairly said that, if co- 

 operative poultry-keeping pays in the heart 

 of Somersetshire, it might be made to succeed 

 in any English county if organised on a 

 thoroughly sound business basis. 



At Street there has now sprung up a 

 race of poultry experts, not only inside the 

 premises of the Society, but also outside. 

 Egg-lore may be heard at every cottage door. 



