SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
Science in Agriculture. 
How Denmark has Prospered. 
ANY, ADE, 
The Department of Repatriation, as part of its educational scheme, selected 
special men of the A.I.F. to study the agricultural methods of certain countries 
' before returning to Australia. This article was written by Captain W. R. Birks, 
who was in charge of the party which visited Denmark, and it -explains the 
reasons of Denmark's eminence as an agricultural country. It has been kindly 
made available by the Comptroller of Repatriation. 
The following day at Nakskovy Mr. Possmussen took charge, assisted 
by several of his neighbours, who turned up with motors and carriages 
enough for all. The day was spent in driving through the district and 
in inspecting particularly Mr. Possmussen’s farm “ Fredsholme.” This 
is a 1,300-acre property all farmed on a normal eight-year system, and 
a good proportion of the crops is allowed to go for seed. The thrasher 
was seen at work in a field of seed turnips of about 50 acres. The 
haulms from these were stacked in the field for burning. There were 
other similar blocks of cocksfoot, carrots, and mangels either waiting 
for the thrasher or ripening. Mr. Possmussen is considered one of. the 
most successful farmers in the country, having started himself “from 
scratch.” | His system of bookkeeping is exceptionally good even in this 
business-like community. A separate account is kept for each cow, 
showing thus not only her individual yield, but the total food she 
consumes. The same can be said of each family of pigs, and each field 
is also separately “ costed.” 
What is perhaps the nearest approach to a “ stump-jump ” arrange- 
ment to be found on this side of the world was seen on a tractor plough 
on this farm. The furrow is held in position by a wooden peg which 
breaks, letting the furrow up, on contact with a rock, and has to be 
replaced. 
| Two days in Langeland were spent in visiting two pairs of con- 
trasted farming propositions. The so-called “peasant” farms of Mr, 
O. Pedersen and Mr. Fogelgaard on the one hand (though these are 
much more comfortable properties than the name implies, being of 
about 100 acres each) and the estates of Count Hans Ahlefeldt- 
Laurvigen and Foedal Count Ahlefeldt-Laurvigen. 
On the former two the most striking feature was the improved 
quality of the dairy stock as compared with the average of the large — 
herds already seen. Each of these gentlemen runs about twenty cows 
besides young stock, and the majority of these were of a good dairy 
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