DANISH BUTTER AND EGG TRADE. 383 

taken as a basis for the regulation of accounts between pro- 
ducers and merchants, became of more importance, as the 
English buyers took the butter—free on board in Danish 
ports—at the prices fixed at Copenhagen. 
The extension of co-operative dairies in Denmark has been 
very rapid. The first was founded in West Jutland in 1882; 
in 1898 there were 1,013, besides 260 ordinary dairies and 271 
estate dairies. Statistics concerning some of these enable it 
to be estimated that there are on an average something like 
800 cows to each co-operative dairy, the members usually 
having 5-7 cows each. It is also estimated that in 1808 all 
the dairies together treated some 440,000,000 gallons of milk, 
and that the butter produced amounted to 1,500,000 cwts. 
Many of the co-operative dairies have further joined to form 
co-operative societies for the sale of the butter. 
The large amount of margarine, principally of native manu- 
facture, consumed in Denmark has also been an important 
factor in the development of the butter trade. Denmark further 
imports large quantities of butter from Sweden and Russia, 
the inferior sorts being consumed locally, especially at Copen- 
hagen, and the superior qualities re-shipped to England. 
Great Britain takes 97-98 percent. ofthe butter exported from 
Denmark. Of this about one-sixth goes direct to Scotland, 
a fifth to London and the south of [ngland, and the re- 
mainder is landed at Grimsby, Hull, and Newcastle for con- 
sumption in the great manutacturing districts and large towns 
of the north. More than half the butter exported from Den- 
mark is stated to be consumed in Lancashire and Yorkshire. 
Towards 1870, and until 1881, the net exportation of eggs 
amounted to about 40,000,000 annually. The number then 
rose gradually until about 1892, when it attained 140,000,000, 
Since 1895, however, the increase has been rapid, and the 
excess of exports was doubled by 1899. During this last 
period the shipments to London have increased eight fold, 
from about 6,000,000 eggs in 1895 to 48,000,000 in 1899. The 
greater quantity, however, still goes to the north, Scotland 
taking 40 per cent. of the exports, and northern and central 
England a similar proportion. The great increase of late 
years is mainly due to the co-operative society for the 
