The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-24
Brother Tinkham In Maine.

The secretary OF the Board OF Agri-
culture was fortunate in securing the
services of Hon. o. M. Tinkham, sec
rotary of the Vermont Dairymen's As
ISOLATION, for series of lectures before
farmers institutes in this state. \
Mr.. Tinkham is especially well
informed in regard to the business of
butter making, this being the leading
product among the dairymen of YER
mont. When butter is made for sale
knowledge of the markets is o factor
as essential to success as is knowledge
of methods. Mr.. Tinkham has there
fore given a close study to the wants of
the markets, and his lectures were
largely directed to consideration of
this important matter.
The test of good butter is not what
the maker sets up as a standard, but it
is what the market wants. Our butter
is judged by the market men who sell
it. If the article sold satisfies the pur-
chaser, then all are satisfied and that is
Just the article the market wants. All
the responsibility of making good but
ter does not rest with the maker. 1t
reaches broader than this. There are
none of the arbitrary rules which are
laid down but may under certain condi-
tons be broken save the one of abso-
lutte cleanliness. There is lots of what
ought to be good milk spoiled before it
goes into the dairy room. If once made
bad, it cannot by any skill be rectified.
Absolute cleanliness is as necessary at
the barn as elsewhere. The value of
butter on the market is largely depen-
dent on its flavor. If the flavor is such
as suits the market, and other condi-
tions are all right, then the butter bears
the top price. The flavor of butter,
where proper conditions of cleanliness
have been observed, is largely due to
the character of the feed from which it
was made. There is nothing better for
making butter of high flavor, such as
the market is always seeking for, and
of which it never gets enough, than
pure English grasses and clovers and
corn meal. Other feeds in some meas
ure may be necessary, and when fed
only to the extent of necessity may not
seriously affect the result. We have
all heard of the celebrated Darlington
butter of Philadelphia. While in Bos-
ton, investigating the butter markets, he
had heard this butter referred to as a
model for others to aspire to. 1t oc-
Cured to him that a visit to the Oar
lingtons might disclose the cause of
the reputation their product had ac-
quired. He found them feeding on
clover hay, and they would not allow
the use of any other kind on any ac-
count. The clover gives apeculiarly de-
licious and high toned flavor which is
not found from the feeding of any other
fodder. This was their standard, and
any deviation from it would detract
from the reputation of their product.
The superior flavor of their butter was
the dairy exhibit in connection with the
meeting of the Vermont Dairymen's
Association last winter, the expert who
judged the butter found one sample
which he described as of " excellent
flavor" In the makers description of
feed, it was stated that the COWS were
fed on second crop clover hay.
There is large trade in Vermont in
what is known as fancy butter" The
price of butter in fancy trade is in
tluenced by the demand among those
who have learned its superior value
and know it is uniformly sustained. A
consumer who has learned the superior
quality of certain make, and has
proved from use that this quality
can be depended upon, is willing, when
his means will allow, to advance the
price rather than to lose the product.
So gradually the price is worked up to
fancy point. AT the same time, prob
ably there is butter sold on the market
at the market price which in all re-
spects is fully equal to the fancy. 1t
is not worth fancy price because it
has not been worked up into the es-
pecial favor of any particular individual.
Making choice butter is one thing
selling it for a fancy price is another
thing altogether. Vermont has done
but little in associated dairying. There
are some cheese factories in the state,
but no creameries. Many years ago,
private dairying was widely introduced,
and reputation for that kind of but
ter was established. Their dairymen
have been slow to change, so the private
work has been continued. There is no
doubt but in many cases association
can be introduced to advantage.
Strictly good butter has nothing to
fear from bogus butter None of the
imitation buffers take the place of but
ter that is strictly fine in every respect.
Poor butter is in competition with
the imitation and is depressed in value
by it. 1t takes much longer to establish
a reputation in butter making than it
does TO break it down if the product
proves to be defective for any reason.
Only good sweet feed can be used
without endangering the product. In
their butter exhibit last winter. of
the eleven number two samples, eight
of them were from cows fed on ensi-
lage. He did not believe that ensilage
could be used as the principal fodder
ration, and make strictly fine product
of butter. The flavor will be modified
by the flavors of the ensilage. There is
abundance of evidence of this, and it is
reasonable that it should be so.--Maine
Farmer.
IT has always been understood in this
country, says Meehan, that trans
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