The daily gazette., 1879-01-24

BY an act OF the last General Assembly
Of Maryland, approved April s, 1878, it
was made obligatory on any person sell
ing or Offering to sell any artice or sub
stance In ssmblance of butter or cheese
not the legitimate product of the daity,
and not made exclusively Of TX or
cream, but into which the oil or fat of
animals, not produced from mi k, enters
as component part thereof, to stamp,
brand or mark on every tub, box, firkin
or package the word "OieOmdrgarine." y
In case of retail sale the act provides that
the seller shall deliver with each alticle
a written or printed label bearing plainly
the word "Oleomargarine," under the
penalty of one hundred dollars for each
violation of the act. This stringent law
has prevented the introduction of oleo.
margarine butter into our markets, none
being ut least specially sold under that
title. IL sold at all it must, therefore, be
sold surreptitiously and with full know
ledge of the risk incurred. Elsewhere,
in other States of the Union and in for
eign countries, this artificial butter finds
sale-.lim.ted in the first case, large in
the last. Yet the manufacture flouishes.
1t is reported, on what appears to be good
authority, that in the United States Two
millions of dollars have been invested in
the business, the largest factories for the
manufacture of this artificial butter being
in New York and Philadelphia. The
New York company sold, it is said, in
one large contract, in 1867, no less than
3,295, 900 pounds, and in another contract
in 1877, no less than 100000 pounds OF
| oleomargarine butter.
| Up to the end OF February lat, accord
| ing TO DR.. Mott, 1t had reduced no les,
than 100000 pounds of animal fat to
butter, which, allowing, as estimated, one
sixth Of the weight ofthe crude materia
for less in manufacture, would leave
over six AMI a-half millions of pounds o
this artificial butter to be disposed o
either for domestic consumption or fo
expo ort. The great bulk OF the demand
has been thus far for shipment TO foregr
countries. This new commercial pro
duct, though highly approved by expert
| abroad, and regarded as a valuable ad
junct to the food supplies, has never at
tained to any large sale with us. Else
where 1t is othe wise. In France it l
said to be in general use, nearly all tn
hospitals using it. In Austria one factor,
manufactures two hundred tons annual
| ly, chiefly for export, and there are ais
oleomarga-ine factories In mary parts 0
Germany. Whether the quality of thl
product be good or bad, whether 1t be, a
alleged, quite rs nutritious as real buttel
there appears to be almost every where
popular prejudice against il when 1t
, offered for sale as oleoBargarine. Abroad
} where 1t is put up in firkins and sold q
genuine but er, it finds many customer:
There is no Jaw there making distin'
ton between the real and the spdriou
article, and the very fact that many of tn
factories profess to be large exporters
proof that it IS difficult 10 force its sal
for domestic consumption in the viciDag,
Laws like that Of Mary land, making it
misdemeanor to sell oleomargarine ft
other than it really is, would have
marked effect in restricting its consumI
tion, even though MI the analytici
chemists should declare, as some Of theI
now do, that it contains all the const
tuents OF genuine buiter, and is b-tt
than much of it.-Bdtt. Sun.