No. 4.] RURAL CREDIT, ETC., IN EUROPE. 109 



concerns with large capital were at first heavy competitors, 

 but their uneven output failed to successfully compete with 

 the uniform product of the co-operative organizations. 



Egg production forms a very important part of the Danish 

 farmer's source of income. To increase the returns in this 

 branch of agriculture, co-operative egg export societies have 

 been formed. The most important of these is called the 

 '* Dansk-Andels Aegeksport.'' This was organized in 1895, 

 and a fifth of all the eggs now exported from Denmark 

 now pass through its hands. It embraces 550 affiliated 

 branches with a total membership of 40,000 poultry keepers. 

 Each branch has its local depot and appoints a collector who 

 is paid a small commission on eggs collected. The eggs are 

 purchased by weight, which induces the farmer to keep 

 improved breeds and strains. There are stringent rules to 

 insure that all eggs collected have been laid since the previous 

 collection, and a penalty of a fine or expulsion is inflicted 

 for violations. All eggs are branded with the trade-mark of 

 the society and also the reference number of the branch 

 society and the registered number of the member who sup- 

 plied them. In this way it is possible to trace any defective 

 egg from the breakfast table right back to the producer; 

 and it is needless to say that very few poor eggs are found. 

 The local depots forward the eggs to central packing stations 

 situated in towns having convenient communication with 

 English ports. The eggs are sorted into five different grades 

 and packed in wool, 1,440 eggs in each box. There is the 

 least possible delay between producer and consumer. This 

 method insures the consumer a reliable article at a reasonable 

 price ; it guarantees the producer a maximum price as well, 

 by the elimination of middlemen. The price paid the farmer 

 is set by the society. At the end of each year the net profits 

 are divided among the members in proportion to the value 

 of the eggs received from each. 



These are only some of the many forms of business co- 

 operation in Denmark, Mention only can be made of the 

 live-stock societies, one of which is the cow-testing associa- 

 tion in aid of which the government appropriated 120,000 

 kroner (about $32,000) ; horse-breeding associations, pig- 



