Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1922-07-19

By Frank nurOp in Evening Dis
patch" Richmond, Va, April


tive kingdoms Of Europe and
hardly visible on the world map.
a. il is only One-third the size
OF the State Of Virginia
Half Of the soil in Denmark Is
OF poor quality and as a whole the
Danish soil is no better than the
soil Of Virginia. Virginia, 1t Is
said. has twelve million acres OF
uncultivated land. The area Of
Denmark Is about twelve million
acres. but all in cultivation eX-
ceut some forest scattered here
and there in the country.
The Danish farmer IS not more
industrious than his fellow farm
or In Virginia. He has a better
business system in farming, that
the secret Of his success.
Pioneer in Cooperative Work
Denmark has fifty years of eX-
ueriencc IN cooperative farming
and Virginia has just started CO.
operation. That is the difference
to be reckoncd with when going
to make a redress Of farmers con
ditiOns.
The present generation of farm
ers in Denmark have grown up m
cooperation, learned the advantage
OF cooperation In colleges and
school, trained in cooperation oy
daily life and work and can for
this reason not think of any other
profitable way Of farming. The
system proved to be a success, but
IL Is not perfect; like any other
system, continuous development Is
i'm progress in order TO be in the
first row on the worlds market.
But il was not always so. Some
sixty years ago every Danish town
or city had a market place and a
weekly market day.
The market place was an open
square as a rule in the center of
the town. No shelter or hall TO
protect the farm products from
effect of weather. Rain or shine,
below or above zero. biting frost
or melting sun. the farmers from
the vicinity would arrive in the
morning Of market day with but
ter. eggs. meats. cheese, veget-
ables. potatoes. honey. lard, fruits
and other products for supply of
a city pantry.
Each farmer would locate on the
most attractive empty spot he
could find arrange his stuff on
the pavement and patiently wait
for customers. as a rule house
wives Of the town. The lady would
taste his butter. criticize his pota-
toes and b. skeptical about the
ace Of his eggs. When the ques-
tion Of ace and quality was set
tied 70 mutual satisfaction then
begun the parley of price entirely
based ON the days supply and de
mand.
II the farmer did not succeed
In selling out before the sun set
tied down In the west, he turned
his steps 10 the merchant who re-
liey,-d him Of the balance by a
reduction Of 10 10 % per cent.
but beside the food products,
..oue farmers made a sideline of
other stuff. also offered for sale
on the market place, for example,
linen. wool. yarn, cloth. mittens,
stockings. wooden shoes. earthen-
ware. straw mattings, etc. OF
course almost all livestock was
sold on the market place.
There was no standard in pro-
duction. all grades. every quality,
was offered for sale on the market
place. The farmer did not dream
Of export trade and the majority
did not even know what those
words meant.
Two Classes of Farmers
There was at that time two dis
tinct classes of farmers. The COM
mon farmers. who spend one day
a week or two months Of his
years working time on the mar
ket place. and the big farmers
as a rule noblemen, who owned
the big country estates. farmed
several hundreds acres of land. had
n hundred or more milk cows. and
who were able TO hire expert but
ter makers 10 make n standard
grade Of butter and supply the
somewhat small export trade.
Those farmers did not frequent
Ill. -..,nrlnt r.lnrn or r,r4n The mar