52 CO-OPEEATION IN DANISH AGKICULTURE 



it is no longer in existence, both because it has led to an im- 

 portant legislative enactment still in force, and because it gives 

 a remarkable instance of how completely and how quickly 

 Danish farmers will join in a voluntary movement for an object 

 which they thoroughly approve of. For some years a general 

 feeling had been prevalent among farmers that a common mark 

 to distinguish Danish butter from butter from other countries, 

 would be a great advantage for the sale of their butter in the 

 English markets, and there was a desire that the State should 

 establish some kind of a "national" mark. Six members 

 brought in a Bill to that effect in 1891, but the Government 

 opposed it, as they thought the description " Danish Produce " 

 offered all the protection required, and all that a special mark 

 could secure. A committee appointed in 1896 by the Royal 

 Agricultural Society of Denmark failed to agree on any proposal, 

 some members representing the view of the peasant farmers 

 in favour of a national mark, others supporting the view of the 

 Government against it. Another committee was appointed 

 by the R.A.S. which in 1899 published a report giving a resume 

 of the development in the butter trade which had led to the 

 wish for a national mark, and the legal definition of a trade 

 mark. It also pointed out how a trade mark could be used 

 jointly by a number of dairies, either by the latter forming a 

 trading society, or by an arrangement, sanctioned officially by 

 practice in Denmark, by which a trade mark registered by the 

 owner of one dairy can be used by other dairies with the consent* 

 of the registering owner, who remains under an obligation to 

 prevent the use of the mark by others than those to whom he 

 had given the right to use the mark. As soon as this report 

 was understood by the farmers it was acted upon ; the Unions 

 of Dairy Associations appointed a committee, and in 1900 the 

 Danish Dairies Butter Mark Society (Danske Mejeriers Smor- 

 moerkeforening) was formed for the purpose of having all Danish 

 butter marked with a common trade mark, the members being 

 Danish dairies, either co-operative, private collective, or estate 

 dairies. So quickly did all Danish dairies join this society that 

 in 1906 of the then total number, viz. 1828, all but IB had 

 joined, and it is doubtful whether any single Danish dairy 

 making butter for export had failed to join. The chairman 



