The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-09-10
Artificial Knifrr.

From 10000 to 100000 pounds OF caul fat
ale brought oaily lom the large abattoirs of
this city and vicinity to factories, to be rem.
deIed into oil, consider able part of which.
in turn, is manufactured INTO butter 1t is
with reference to this traffic in artificial but.
ter, or oleo margarine, that law was recent
ly passed by the legislature of this state. 1t
is entitled IAN act for the protection of dairy
men, and to prevent deception in the sales OF
butter" Whatever may be the merits of
oleo-margarine, it cannot be denied that some
persons are still somewhat squeamish about
using it, and would not indulge half so heart
lily were they to discover that the substance
of which they are partaking in the semblance
of butter is not the legitimate product of the
dairy, and is net made exclusively of milk or
cream, but is an article into which the oil or
fat OF animals. not produced from milk, en-
tiers as component part" The law pro-
vides that all packages containing artificial
butter shall be plainly labeled with the name
"Oleo-margarine," and that all retail dealers
when selling it, shall furnish the purchaser
with card, also marked ''Oleo-margarine."
To ascertain the value of oleo- margarine,
two classes were considerations who make
it or the oil from which it is made, and pror,.
inent butter dealers. The estimates of these
persons seemed to differ. SIT is a contempt
ible fraud" said the first dealer whose opn-
ion was sought. ''You might as well make
butter out OF castor oil, no matter what the
soft-headed professors who furnish them with
certificates say in its favor. 1t looks well
enough for awhile, but in month the parts
dlsintegrate, and you have nothing but
grease. Butter-dealers won't have ANYTHING
to do with it," Other dealers are less de-
cided in condemning it, but all who were Wis
tied stated that they did not deal in it. and
seemed to regard it as very important to
avoid giving the impression that they had
anything to do with it. Some admitted that
oleo-margarine bears close resemblance to
dairy butter, and that it cannot be distn-
tinguished from it unless the per cent. of oil
is very large, and that it will pass for fair
quality of butter. The persons who make
the oil and butter were more positive in its
favor, saying; ''It looks like butter, it tastes
like butter, it is butter; its constituents and
their relative proportions, as determined by
analysis, are the same as that of dairy
butter. 1t is made from the fat of newly
slaughtered animals, and as much care is ex-
ercised in making pure article as is used in
making dairy butter in the best regulated
dairy. Only prejudice prevents it from being
regarded as valuable food product"
There are two kinds of oleo-margarine.
The first may be called the "original and gen
uine;" in making it the oil is adulterated
with just enough cream to allow of its being
churDed, the proportion Of cream to oil being
about to 20. The ''original and genuneo
is made in large factories operating under
the Mege patent. Butter-dealers claim to be
able to distinguish this article from dairy but
ter quite readily, lacking, as it does, the
"texture" OF the latter. The second kind
is that in which the oil has been largely
adulterated with cream-perhaps with so or
go per cent of cream. This kind is made by
couRtry dairymeu, and, it is believed, in con-
siderable quantities; and to detect its com.
position battles the skill of any except the
most experienced dealer. The manufacture
of the ''original and genuine'' is still quite
limited, and much of 1t is exported, so that
the quantity in the market is really very
triding-a protracted search would be nee
essary to find any. At least those who make
it so represent. To what extent the new law
will protect dairymen, good housewives and
coufiding boarders remains to be seen. The
maHufactu rers of the "original and genuine''
will probably comply faithfully with It's pro-
visions, since the detection of its violations
is, in their case, easy. Many of the retail
dealers, will, perhaps, furnish with each
pound or hafpound sold beautifully tinted
card marked "Oleo-Margarine." But the
dairyman will, doubtless, continue to buy oil
adulterate it with cream, churn it into s'sub.
stance in semblance OF butter,' aud consign
it to the city labelled not 80. NJ" but
"Choicest Creamery N. Y. Tribune.