Our Imports of Dairy Produce. 



19 



milk produced on the farm of each member, with the excep- 

 tion of the small quantity required for the household, is con- 

 signed to the dairy of the society to be made into butter, 

 the milk being separated by the centrifugal process. 

 The milk is paid for periodically, and at the end of the year 

 the surplus profits, after the payment of 5 per cent, on the 

 shares, are divided in proportion to the quantity of 

 milk delivered by each member during the twelve months. 

 Members are generally required to take back the separated 

 milk and butter milk at a price fixed by the association. 



It is contended that the adoption of the co-operative 

 system has enabled Danish farmers to produce a butter of 

 uniform texture and quality, and that it has largely reduced 

 the cost of production. In this connection reference may be 

 made to some interesting examples of the balance sheets of 

 Danish dairies, contained in the Tidskrift for Landokonoiiii. 

 In one of these, which relates to a large co-operative dairy 

 in Jutland, the actual working expenses for the twelve 

 months ended October, 1896, calculated upon 100 gallons of 

 milk, amounted to 4s., the sum paid to shareholders for the 

 milk supplied during the year was 33s. pd., and the receipts 

 from sales of butter, cheese and bye-products amounted to 

 44s. 2d., so that the return to the shareholders for every 

 100 gallons of milk was 40s. 2d., or about 5d. per gallon."* 

 The balance-sheets of another co-operative dairy in the 

 island of Fiinen for the same year show a net return to the 

 shareholders of just under 5d. per gallon. 

 Co-operation has been applied with success to many branches 



* The loan incurred by the association for the erec'ion of the dairy buildings has 

 been paid off. The accounts for the year are shown as follows : — 



Receipts. 



Expenditure. 



Sale of butter - - - 7,994 

 Sale of cheese - - . ^92 

 Sa e of milk and cream - - 24 

 Receipts from skim milk and 



butter milk sold to members i , 796 

 Other receipts - . - 42 



Total - - - - I ,448 



£ 



Milk (473,000 galls.) - - 7,980 

 Wages, £19^', Cartage, £2.^0, 452 

 Coal, ice, salt, colouiing 



matter, etc. - - - 127 

 Appliances and repairs - - 299 

 Interest ... - 51 

 Other expenses ... 13 

 Profit - - - - - I 524 



Total - - - - 10,448 



B2 



