Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-03-14
Western Brands of Butter Taking the
Market,

Some little excitement has been
caused among the wholesale dealers in
butter from the fact that New York
State butter has ranged much lower in
the market than Western butter, when
on former occasions the butter pro-
duced in this State has not only held
its own, but has stood higher in the
estimation of buyers. About 1000, 900
pounds of butter are brought into this
market every week, or over 100, 600, 900
pounds every year, and that nearly
900, 200 pounds per week are used for
home consumption within a radius of
ten miles from New York, the re-
mainder being sold for Southern trade
and export. State butter has ruled as
low as fourteen cents per pound when
Western butter has commanded from
seventeen to twenty cents per pound.
A representative of the Commercial
called lately on several butter dealers
to ascertain the cause of the difference,
and it was found that one OF the main
causes was that New York State butter
makers failed to appreciate the wants
of the market, and did up their pack
ages in the same style that was prev
alent quarter of a century ago, while
Western men, taking advantage of the
changes in taste, made up their butter
more for sale than for use. 1t was
acknowledged that State butter had
more nourishment in it than the West
ern butter; but the fact still existed
that it did not sell so well. One of
the principal features of the Western
butter was that it was sent fresh to
market, and had the odor and appear
ance peculiar to fresh butter; while
the State farmers kept their butter in
firkins from October to the present
time, and then sent it to market. The
buyers buy butter to-day more from the
odor and appearance than from the in
trinsic qualities, on the ground that
their customers like it great deal bet
ter. 1t was asserted by some whole
sale dealers that the manufacture of
oleomargarine had done great deal to
reduce the price of butter in the whole
sale market, and where, twelve months
ago, butter would have easily realized
about forty-five cents per pound whole
sale, it is with great difficulty that
fourteen to twenty cents per pound can
now be obtained for really good butter.
Trade is often as much secured to-
day by the eye as through the taste,
and the style of the packages has often
a great deal to do with the sale as the
quality of the goods contained therein.
The Western men apparently appreci-
ate this fact, and do up their butter in
neat packages which attract the eye;
while the butter-makers in New York
State continue to use the old style firkin,
long out of date among buyers. One
wholesale dealer said that he had now
on hand a choice class of New York
State butter which should have been
sold long ago; but as it was encased in
the old style firkin buyers would not
look at it. He thought that if the
farmers of this State would only watch
the progress of the times and use the
proper kinds of butter tubs, the lost
trade might be recovered, as the butter
was as much superior to Western as
anything could be. The only way, he
believed, that the State could recover
its prestige in the butter trade, both
for export and local consumption, was
for the farmers to ship the butter di-
rect to the market as soon as it was
made, and while the odor of freshness
was upon it; otherwise the Western
butter trade would soon drive the New
York State butter entirely out of the
market, instead of merely commanding
a higher price for the commodity. The
commission dealers say the farmers are
to blame for the low prices which the
butter now realizes, and which might
be easily increased by care on their
part.-N. Y. ConlnperctaL-AdUertiSer.