1910.] State Assistance to Agriculture in Denmark. 567 



selves into associations to an unusual degree, the success 

 of the co-operative movement in this country being very 

 largely due to this cause, and in one form or another associa- 

 tions have been common among them from very early times. 

 Some of the agricultural associations of Denmark have 

 existed in their present form for over a hundred years — for 

 instance, the Royal Danish Agricultural Society (Det Kgl. 

 Danske Landhusholdningsselskab) was founded in 1769 — 

 while during the whole of the past century societies were 

 founded as agricultural activity took various forms. The last 

 twenty-five years of the century saw the growth of the co- 

 operative dairying industry and the success attending it, and 

 it was during this period that associations of all kinds sprang 

 up most quickly, becoming amalgamated and developing 

 their organisation almost automatically. The various small- 

 holding laws at the beginning of the present century, again, 

 have called a further number of associations into being. 



In all cases it is the individuals who take the initiative and 

 found the society, which is then recognised by the State, and 

 eventually receives a State subvention. The subvention is 

 almost invariably in proportion to the amount subscribed by 

 members. 



Another factor which must not be forgotten in considering 

 any question concerning Danish agriculture is education. It 

 is exceedingly difficult to assign the proper value to educa- 

 tion in Danish agricultural life. In 1840, the movement, 

 headed by Bishop Grundtvig, was commenced to educate the 

 Danish agricultural population along more liberal lines. 

 Peoples' high schools, agricultural schools, and so on, 

 sprang up with great rapidity all over the country, and there 

 are now some 126 of these which receive State aid. 



In addition to the agricultural instruction received at these 

 schools, great value is attached to their influence in educating 

 the people to work together in co-operative undertakings, 

 and in teaching them to appreciate the advantage of the 

 various associations. In other words, the various schools, 

 while being themselves the result of judiciously applied State 

 aid, at the same time serve to produce an agricultural popula- 

 tion who are better able to appreciate and utilise the aid given 

 by the State in other directions. 



