The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-07-29
ohio Dairy and Food Commission.
ASST. COMMISSIONERS OFFICE,
JEFFERSON. o. July Is 'S6.

JEFfEhSoN, w., July %, 90. }
MIR. EDITOR; In my visitation to
the different counties embraced in the
third district of our Food Commission
work, L am continually hearing well
informed gentlemen attempting to
Justify the sale of imitation butter be-
cause they say farmers make such viii
lainous stuff for butter that it is not
fit for any human being to eat, and
therefore say that it is not as good as
bogus butter. Think of that one mo-
ment. Can two WtOngS make one
right? Is it a sensible or practical
view of the trouble? Our Commission
firmly believe that a large majority of
the butter made by farmers is good
butter, but is ruined when transferred
to the dealers hands, and done in this
manner: 1t is received mostly at
country stores and placed in filthy,
frOWy, rancid boxes or places, and
stored in cellars thoroughly impreg-
mated with vicious odOrs of rotten po-
tatoes, coal oil, fish brine, pork brine,
and every other foul OdOr that comes
from decayed vegetables kept for sale
at such stores, Genuine butter will
lose all its good flavor in a very few
hours when put i'll any such place.
But the next fatal step of the dealer
is to take all varieties of cOlOred butter
and re.work them together, mixing
and crushing until he secures an even
color. He then packs his mass of saIve
into tubs or hrkins (fOr it is no longer
butter, the granulations of butter are
all spoiled by this second and unnec-
essary working, and the result is sim
ply grease). In this ruined condition
it reaches the consumer through the
city commission houses, and of course
is pronounced unfit for table use, and
possibly for cooking purposes. flow
can this be remedied? In two ways.
The consumer must purchase direct
from the farmer, in suitable sized pack
ages, so that no second working need
be made, or the dealer must reform No
dealer should buy butter of the farmer
except it is put in convenient shipping
packages when made, and in amounts
of ten TO fifty pounds each, according
| to size of dairy, to have it all times
good, fresh, sweet butter, and no more
| roll butter should Ter eceived by them
than the daily retail trade of the store
! demands. This is practical, and the
entire make of butter in the country
can be brought to these terms | have
done it, or caused il to be doue in
stores under my control.
| Next, no dealer should handle a
pound of butter until he first secur. S
a room to keep it separate from all
other goods having amy unpleasant
odor. A cheap np ground artificial
cellar is best, where the air is pure
and well ventilated but can be kept
| cool.
Roll butter should be kept on earth
en- plates or metal plates, and these
should be scalded and kept sweet and
clean all The time Any merchant
who will handle butter in this manner
need never lose one cent, nor will any
consignment to reliable city dealers rs
packed by the farmers fail to bring the
1ull fair mark ct price, Nor will con-
sumers ever complain. The shade OF
color is not so material as to have good
fresh sweet butter.
Dealers, please take netice of the
above remarks, and also study careful
ly the Ohio food laws as recorded in
Vol. 81, page 81; Vol SO, page 16S
Vol SO, pages 73, i2O, IFS to lS1, be-
cause our Commission is going to ask
YOU very soon to obey them.
HI. TALCOTT,
Asst. Dairy and Food Com'r.