1920.] Impressions of a Visit to Denmark. 175 



fill that the same principle of co-operation is applied to almost 

 every branch of farming. We visited several dairies, egg- 

 collecting stations, and a bacon factory. All produce is care- 

 fully graded, and great care is taken to maintain a high standard. 

 We were told at the egg-collecting station that any member 

 who has sent in an egg which is not fresh is warned after the 

 first offence ; for any subsequent offence he is fined 6s. per egg. 

 Every pig brought to the bacon factory is examined by an 

 expert, and must be absolutely free from any trace of disease, 

 or it cannot receive the red export stamp. The Danes are 

 careful to study their market, and to produce articles for which 

 there is the greatest demand. For instance, we found that 

 pigs intended for England were reared and fed quite differently 

 from those intended for Germany. We were told, " You do 

 not like your bacon so fat as the Germans do." 



One effect of the co-operative movement has been materially 

 to relieve the strain upon those who are the most overworked 

 members of a farmer's household in this country, namely, the 

 w^omenfolk. 



The question occurred to me : " Why has not this same 

 system been more generally adopted in Wales ? " Those 

 who have started cheese factories and egg or vegetable collect- 

 ing stations know the up-hill work that is necessary and the 

 prejudice, jealousy, and ignorance that have to be fought and 

 overcome before these societies can flourish. 



3. In the opinion of the most intelligent men we met, it is 

 the third factor, the Folk High Schools, which has made co- 

 operation possible, by widening the outlook of the peasants 

 and giving them a sense of comradeship and mutual trust. 



The Danes and the Welsh have two traits in common — thev 

 are characterised by an intense love for their country, and 

 among all classes is found a passion for education and culture. 

 We in Wales are proud of our intermediate schools and 

 University Colleges, which have been built by the efforts of the 

 people themselves — miners, quarrymen and labourers all con- 

 tributing their bit. What has been the idea behind it all ? 

 Has not the labourer looked for some door through which his 

 son, if intelligent, may escape from the land and take up some 

 other profession ? The boys and girls from our intermediate 

 schools and colleges do not often return liomc feeling that it 

 is a fine thing to till the soil. In Denmark, in addition to 

 secondary schools and colleges for those who wish to take up 

 a scholastic career, they have a quite different type of schools, 

 the Folk High Schools, and their offspring, the schools for small 

 holders. These schools provide three or five months' courses 



