The Iceland year-book - 01.01.1926, Blaðsíða 70

some of the trawlers pack their catches in ice, and
take the fish direct to some British port for sale.
Lately this practice is, however, declining, as the
other method has been found more remunerative.
Trout and char are plentiful in many of the
numerous inland lakes, and there are scores of ex-
cellent salmon rivers throughout the country,
some of them reputed to be among the best in
Europe.
Progress in agriculture has been much slower
and less thorough. Explanation of this fact is large-
ly found in the enormous extent of the area over
which the agricultural operations are spread. The
distance between farm and farm is often
many miles, and organization and co-operation
are therefore difficult. The farming industry
mainly consists in sheep-breeding and dairy farm-
ing. In certain parts of the country co-operative
dairies have been in existence during the last
quarter of a century, and some butter and cheese
— both of good quality — are exported. But the
main agricultural exports are mutton, wool, and
sheep-skins. For its delicious flavour Icelandic
mutton is unsurpassed, but the antiquated method
of salting (instead of cold-storing) it, has hither-
to limited the market for it to the Scandinavian
countries. However, as the method of cold-storage
is now beginning to be adopted, there is every
likelihood that this excellent article of food will
soon find a wider appreciation.
Only an infinitessimally small proportion —
% per cent. — of the total area of Iceland is actual-
ly cultivated, and this solely as hayfields and
vegetable gardens. Much of the hay harvested each