Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-07
OUR BUTTER AND FOREIGN.
A Recent Comparison of Samples 1,
New York.

A Recent Comparison of Samples in
New York.
Finding it difficult to get an unprejudiced
and definite comparison made in London
between butter sent there by the United
States Department of Agriculture with the
best products of other countries, Secretary
Wilson directed his agent at London to
buy there representative packages of fine
butter from various sources and send them
In cold storage to New York. This was
recently done, and the foreign lot included
sample casks of the best English Dorset
shire), Danish and French butter, and
boxes from Australian and Irish cream
cries. as well rolls of Sweet" or I'M
sailed butter, such as Is sent daily from
Brittany and sells at the highest price in
the London market.
These foreign buffers were last week
critically examined by the leading butter
merchants of New York and compared
with packages reserved from q lot lately
sent abroad by the department, made at
oreameries in Minnesota and Massachu-
sets. Excepting the Australian these but
tiers were all about the same age. The Dam
ish, which ranks first in the sailed butter
supply of the English markets. was a little
younger and fresher than the Minnesota
package.
The samples were scored by Butter In
spector Healy of the New York mercantile
exchange. and Secretary Wilson has re-
ceived his report. On a scale of 100 points
the Minnesota creamery butter was
marked 961. the Royal Danish %. and
the Massachusetts butter "a. The last was
very small package. had been kept three
weeks and had lost flavor. although evil
IDENTIFY very fine article when fresh The
fresh Brittany rolls were also placed at
96i2. The other samples We're marked 80
and below. The only ones marked perfect
from Minnesota Denmark and Brittany
Minnesota and Brittany (unsaited) were
both placed at 36is tout of possible 400
for flavor. with Massachusetts and Dem
mark following at 30. and no other above
81
This Judgment was concurred in by a
majority of the merchants lone hundred
or more) who examined the samples. Sew
eral English merchants were also present,
being in this country to investigate our
butter supply and make purchases. They
thought that some Of the foreign samples
were hardly representative of the best of
their kind obtainable in London. But they
agreed that the Danish and French sam
pies were fully up to the standard and
that the American samples shown were
quite equal to these, and in some respects
superior. One of these English buyers said
he was ready to contract for almost
unlimited quantity of butter equal to the
tub of Minnesota creamery shown, at one
cent a pound above the highest market
quotations. This. Secretary Wilson believes,
is O very conclusive demonstration that
we can make in this country as fine but
ter as is produced anywhere, and much
better than most of that which Great
Britain depends upon. And we can deliver
1t in good condition in London, If that mar
ket will pay satisfactory prices for it.
The fresh Brittany rolls, so much ad-
mired. were quoted at % cents per pound
wholesale in London last month, and the
Danish casks at 20 and u cents. The
Minnesota butter, thus pronounced SUI
perior to the latter. sold in New York at
the same time at 10 or 16 cents, and could
be offered in London at 10 or 20 cents at a
handsome profit.