The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-18
OUR BUTTER ABROAD.
Secretary Wilson's Efforts to Farther
the Interests of Farmers.

WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE Agricul-
tural Department is engaged in some prac-
teal experiments with a view to extending
our butter market abroad. The develop
ment of the dairy interests of the United
States is one of the favorite schemes of
Secretary Wilson, who believes that the
farmers of the country can be greatly
benefited by the sale of the incidental
products of the farm. Our foreign cheese
market has declined steadily for the past
twenty years and in recent years has suf-
fered immense damage from the shipment
of filled cheese" and other inferior
cheeses. Twenty years ago the United
States shipped to the United Kingdom
about half the cheese imported by the Brit
ish isles. Canada has steadily displaced our
cheese until now we ship to England less
than one-quarter of her imports, while
Canada sends one-half. IEasmuch as Eng
land now imports twice as much cheese
as she did in 1916, the loss of our trade
in this one item is enormous. Now that
all 'nlled cheese" must be branded, we
may regain some of the trade, but al the
Agricultural department Major Alvord,
chief of the Dairy Division, SAYS it will
require time and circumstances to re-estab-
lish the reputation of our cheese and win
back the trade we have lost.
In the matter of butter it is thought
that there is much better opportunity Tor
pushing our products at this time. Our
exports OF butter nave Deen comparatively
small in the past and the butter shipped
abroad has been almost entirely until last
year, of inferior quality. This was due to
the fact that the choicest grades COM
manded higher price in this country than
could be obtained for them abroad. But
last year there was a surplus of good but
ter produced in the United States The
percentage of high grade creamery buffers
produced promises also to increase an
nually hereafter through the extension of
the creamery system Last year the con-
sumption of the choicest grades fell off in
the Gnited States. owing probably to hard
times. The price naturally fell and about
20 COO GEO pounds were placed within the
reach of the exporters, as against 5500,000
pounds in 1885, A large proportion of this
expectation was good butter. Major AL
word says that We cannot hope to export
good butter when ii sells at less than Is
cents in New York which would make the
commissions, about twenty cents. Den
mark, Sweden, France, Canada australia
and Argentine now supply the British mar
ket, which last year bought about PSI, 600 600
pounds. AT the suggestion of Secretary
wilson, the Agricultural Department has
the experimental sale in London of our
pest butter under its own name. By di-
fScuoh OF the secretary Major Aivord
ABOUT TWO weeks ago purchased and
sIlpped ABOUT 1000 pounds of our choicest
creamery butter. Ii arrived last Thursday
at southampton. Under ARRANGEMENTS pre-
Viously perfected this butter probably al
ready mas found its way to the consumer
through me ordinary channels of trade
put II was shown and sold as United
states butter. This will be followed
through the hands of the jobbers and re-
tailers TO the consumer and the iudgment
of each secured on it, Other shinments
VIII be made from time to time