DENMARK. 501 



as shrinkage in weight, cost of transport, &c., which may fairly be es- 

 timated at 5 to G per cent.; so that the complaints on this score were 

 more imaginary than real. 



The results from these divergent views would appear on the one hand 

 to advise caution on the part of the public in the too hasty erection of new 

 Union Dairies before sufficient knowledge and experience has been ac- 

 quired, and not to allow themselves to be too blindly led by prejudiced 

 statements and calculations. It should be remembered that whilst it is 

 fully admitted that these dairies have been under the supervision of a 

 very able and skilled staff of managers and assistants, that nevertheless 

 their productions so far can scarcely be said to have been instrumental 

 in any way towards raising Danish butter to that high standard of repu- 

 tation which it at present holds in the foreign, more especially the English, 

 markets ; and it need not either be feared that any advantages or good 

 which these dairies under various conditions have been able to effect will 

 be lost or injured by giving ample time for a proper and minute consider- 

 ation of their system of operations, and at the same time the small pro- 

 ducers should be taught that before this thorough investigation has 

 taken place a they should not put too implicit confidence in the public 

 opinion that these dairies are their only hope. They should remember 

 that in former clays they were fully able to furnish a high class standard 

 of butter, and that they then went to their work with pleasure. If they 

 will again devote the same zeal they will again realize the fact that it 

 does not call for a much greater amount of labor to produce a good qual- 

 ity of butter than it does to make an inferior article ; it only requires 

 more steady attention and judgment. They must not either place too 

 great weight on the general complaint that they do not obtain full value 

 for their produce when they are forced to sell first-class butter in jars 

 for prices paid for a second-class article, as that complaint is without any 

 real foundation. It is hardly to be imagined that the producer who can 

 obtain the needful assurance of making good butter, and can dispose of 

 it at the price of second-class quality, will not find it more to his inter- 

 ests so to act, rather than to content himself with the sale of his milk to 

 the Union Dairies. 



Of this, however, every one must be left to judge for himself; but if 

 these small proprietors remain of the opinion that the Union Dairies are 

 so advantageous to them, then at least there must be such earnestness 

 in their relations to each other that by careful attention to the fodder- 

 ing of their cows and by treating them in every way with the same care 

 and supervision as if they themselves intended to use the milk, as well 

 as by proper attention to speedy straining and cooling, so that they will 

 at all times be in a position to deliver their milk supplies in perfectly 

 sound condition. If the Union Dairies cannot place full reliance on such 

 active support from the producers, their position will be hopeless, as it 

 need not require a prophet to foretell that when they pay 1 cent for the 

 milk and only get back three-fourths of a cent in the shape of butter, 

 no great length of time must elapse before they will be forced to bring 

 their works to a close, and all concerned will be of one mind, that in 

 such case it will be a day of bitter disappointment when the small 

 producers find themselves again compelled to make use of the milk for 

 home production after having arranged their operations on such footing 

 as to be free from the work and when they have also entirely got out of 

 the required habit and practice. 



HENRY B. BYDEK, 



Consul. 



UNITED STATES CONSULATE, 



Copenhagen, August 25, 1885. 



