192 RURAL DENMARK 



farm management, with the result that " tons of fruit 

 became over ripe and had to be thrown away, or when 

 sold, realised next to nothing. In addition large quan- 

 tities were left hanging on the plants." 



After this experience the farm management was 

 unanimously requested again to take over the disposal 

 of the produce. In 1909, after Mr. Fels had "once 

 more come to the rescue," and, not for the first time, 

 lent to each man enough money to see him through 

 the season, and made him a present of a barge-load 

 of 90 tons of the best manure, " it became noticeable 

 that co-operation was not working satisfactorily. So 

 far as the general arrangements for the handling and 

 disposal of produce were concerned the system at 

 work seemed almost perfect, but its effects on the 

 characters of the men seemed the reverse. Some 

 frequently showed discontent at the prices obtained, 

 and were insistent that they could do much better for 

 themselves if working alone, whilst almost all showed 

 a lack of strenuous endeavour in matters for which 

 the Society could be made responsible. Each seemed 

 too ready to expect the Society to do for him things 

 which he ought to have done for himself." 



The end of it was that a meeting was called at 

 which, "with three exceptions, the whole voted for 

 individual working." 



The rest of this depressing story can be read in 

 Mr. Smith's report, but as it has nothing to do with 

 the point under discussion I do not detail it here. 

 Enough has been said, however, to show that co- 

 operation was not exactly a success among the small- 

 holders at Mayland. 



Perhaps another example of the lack of any real 

 co-operative enthusiasm, this time among East Anglian 



