90 CO-OPERATION IN DANISH AGRICULTURE 



such bulls as were approved by a committee of judges and 

 only cows of the native breed ; they were to rear bull-calves 

 every year, one or more up to five according to the size of their 

 farms ; yearhng bull-calves to be exhibited at the annual show, 

 and if approved, to be shown again next year ; if again approved 

 and awarded a prize, the bull should not be sold to others than 

 members unless it had first been offered to the committee ; in 

 default the owner was to pay a fine ; all prize bulls were to be 

 shown again at next year's show until the age of three years. 

 All bulls approved for breeding were branded, and their name, 

 number, and pedigree were entered in the herdbook of the 

 society. All bull-calves not approved for breeding, and there- 

 fore not branded, were to be castrated. This society is still 

 in existence. 



When the co-operative dairy societies sprang up all over 

 the country the peasants realised more and more the importance 

 of keeping dairy cattle able to convert the crops of the fields 

 into milk, and the means adopted to obtain such cattle were 

 sought in co-operative breeding societies. Thus one kind of 

 co-operative action led to another, as has so often been the 

 case. And, as in other instances, it was by private initiative 

 that the beginning was made. Two farmers, one a tenant 

 farmer on a large estate in Sealand, J. IvI. Friis, Lindersvold, 

 the other an owner of two estates near Randers in Jutland, 

 Pr. Hvass, in 1884 started bull clubs for the improvement of 

 the local breeds, the Red Danish Dairy Cattle in Sealand, and 

 the Black and White Jutland Cattle. It was the leading idea 

 of Friis that if the undertaking was to bear fruit it was neces- 

 sary that the agricultural population of the district should 

 take part in the work and in the management, and that members 

 should not be asked to pay a contribution in cash. When his 

 plan had matured in his mind, he therefore invited four of the 

 leading peasants to associate themselves with him, and with 

 their support he laid the plan before a large meeting of farmers 

 convened for the purpose. The rules of his bull club contain 

 the following provisions : Members to pay no subscription, 

 but to undertake to let such of their cows, as were approved j 

 by the committee of the club, be served by the club bull at a 

 fee of 6s. 6d., smallholders (Husmo^nd) to pay only half fee ; 



