June 1895.] 



DANISH BACON FACTORIES. 



15 



DANISH BACON FACTORIES. 



One of the features of the development of the agricultural 

 industry in Denmark has been the rapid growth of an export 

 trade in bacon and hams. Prior to the year 1887-88 the annual 

 consignments of these products from Danish ports had never 

 exceeded 300,000 cwts., but in that year the shipments 

 amounted in weight to nearly 600,000 cwts., and they have 

 since increased to over 800,000 cwts. in 1893-94. 



It is noteworthy that the sudden augmentation in 1887-88 

 was couicident with the establishment of co-operative bacon 

 factories in Denmark. The first organisation of this kind was 

 formed in 1887 by a number of farmers in the district of 

 Horsens. In view of the success which had already attended 

 the application of co-operative principles to the dairy industry, 

 the new venture was regarded with much interest by the 

 agricultural community, and companies were hastily formed 

 in several districts for the erection of similar establishments. 

 The closing of the German ports to live swine from Denmark 

 in the winter of 1887-88 afforded a further impetus to the 

 movement, and bacon factories sprang up rapidly in all parts 

 of the country. There are now 34? of these establishments in 

 operation, of which number 17 have been erected by co-operative 

 associations of farmers. 



In the case of the factories established by the farmers' 

 associations, the funds for the erection of the necessary build- 

 ings were generally derived from a loan effected on the security 

 of the founders, each member being expected to become a 

 guarantor for an amount not exceeding 50^., the sum guaranteed 

 by each individual determining the extent of his ownership in 

 the concern. The administration of the association is vested 

 in a council elected by the members. The employes usually 

 consist of a manager, a bookkeeper, and a cashier. 



The regulations of the different co-operative bacon factories 

 agree very much in their general principles. It is usually 

 stipulated that the members of the association shall deliver all 

 their saleable swine to the factory for a period of seven years, 

 except in the case of removal from the district. This stipu- 

 lation, however, does not apply to boars, to sows in farrow, or 

 to young pigs under 56 lbs. (in some cases 112 lbs.) live weight, 

 nor does it extend to pigs sold by a member to his labourers, or 

 consumed in his own house. A corresponding obligation is 

 nearly always imposed on the association to accept all the healthy 

 swine consigned by a member to the factor}". 



A member may purchase any number of pigs from another 

 member of the association, and send them to the factory, pro- 

 vided he has fattened them for a period varying from 20 to 



