EVOLUTION OF THE A.O.S. 133 



Kingdom, to the general subject, the report made on its 

 return from Denmark by this Scottish Agricultural Com- 

 mission of 1904 had a powerful effect on public opinion in 

 Scotland. 



In praising the Popular High School system in Denmark, 

 the Commissioners thought they could not too strongly 

 impress upon the sons of farmers, and all others contem- 

 plating a farmer's life, the necessity for taking a regular course 

 of tuition at one of the Scottish Agricultural Colleges. On 

 the subject of land tenure they thought a sound case was 

 made out for creating a class of small holdings in the hands 

 of cultivating owners. Concerning egg-collecting, they 

 pointed out that the great and profitable egg export trade 

 of Denmark rested upon numerous groups of peasant pro- 

 prietors and cottagers who kept from 10 to 100 fowls each, 

 and joined in co-operative societies for collecting, testing 

 and marketing the eggs, and they thought that, although in 

 Scotland the keeping of poultry for profit was less general, 

 the practice would rapidly grow were similar organisations 

 formed. Bacon-curing factories they considered to be clearly 

 a phase of co-operation in which farmers might take the 

 initiative to their common advantage, and they recom- 

 mended the formation of district committees to consider the 

 subject. By the Danish system of improvement of dairy 

 cattle and keeping of milk records they had been greatly 

 impressed, and they hoped there would be a more extensive 

 adoption of the system in Scotland. In respect to State aid, 

 they had found that in Denmark not only the various 

 educational institutions, but all other organisations formed 

 for the promotion of agriculture in its various branches were 

 assisted and encouraged by grants in aid contributed from 

 the National Exchequer, and they were of opinion that 

 lasting benefit would accrue to British agriculture were the 

 present small grants to colleges, dairy schools and experiment 

 stations largely increased, and were the formation of associa- 

 tions for the promotion of rural industries in any practical 

 and efficient manner also stimulated by assistance from the 

 State. 



