The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-07-16
MINNESOTA BUTTER LEADS.

Minnesota butter has just scored
most notable victory. 1t has stood
the test with the finest butter in the
English market, and won. Danish
butter has been heralded far and
wide as the best in the English mar
ket, but in this test it fell point and
a half below that from Minnesota,
while the Minnesota product scored
even with the best Brittany rolls.
Secretary Wilson, of the agricul-
tural department, has not been satls-
ned with the treatment that Ameri-
can butter received on the London
market. This was largely caused by
the fact that our people have not
been careful enough with the butter
they have heretofore sent there.
Good butter has so often been follow
ed up with that OF poorer grade,
that they have no confidence in its
uniformity. Finding this had pre-
JUDGED the market so it was difficult
to get fair comparison, he ordered
his agent in London to buy there the
best representative packages of fine
butter he could obtain, and send by
cold storage to New York. This was
done and the lot included some of
the best English, Danish and French
butter as we'll as boxes from Austral-
ian and Irish creameries. These
samples were critically compared
with packages reserved from lot re-
Gently sent abroad by the depart
ment made in Minnesota and Massa-
chusetts creameries. They were
scored by Butter Inspector Healy. of
the New York Mercantile Exchange,
who has made his report of the same
TO Secretary Wilson. son a scale
of 100 points, the Minnesota creamery
butter was marked 963, the "Royal
Danish" 95 and the Massachusetts "a.
The last was a very small package,
had been kept three weeks and had
lost flavor, although evidently very
fine article when fresh. The fresh
Brittany rolls were also placed at 96t:
the other samples were marked 80 and
below. The only ones marked per-
feet in grain texture or "body" were
those from Minnesota, Denmark and
Brittany. Minnesota and Brittany
gunsalted) were both placed at 36t out
Of possible 40 for flavor, with
Massachusetts and Denmark follow
ing at 35 and none other above 81"
The Judgment Of the butter in
Spector was concurred in by a MAORI
ty of the merchants, of whom there
were 100 or more present, and one OF
the English buyers said he was ready
TO contract for an almost unlimited
quantity of butter equal to the tub
of Minnesota creamery shown at l
cent a pound above the highest mar
ket quotations.
This is a notable victory for the
Minnesota dairy interests. All that
has got to be done is to work for the
highest possible grade, keep it uni
form and a place for it will be found
upon the foreign market at good re-
turns. The grasses and water of
Minnesota seem suitable for the
finest grade of butter in the world,
and if the dairy product is handled
right it will soon reach that position.
The position which this comparison
indicates is one that is worth work.
ing for by Minnesota creameryman.
Secretary Wilson is Of the opinion, as
a result of this comparison that we can
make as fine butter in this country
as can be produced anywhere, and
much better than most of that which
Great Britain depends upon. The
fresh Brittany rolls were quoted at 70
cents per pound at wholesale in Lon
don last month, and the Danish casks
q cents. Minnesota butter pro-
aounced superior to the latter and
equal to the former, sold in New
York at from Is to 16 cents and it is
said it could be offered in London at
from 10 to 20 cents at handsome
profit. Here is great opportunity
shat Minnesota dairYmen ought to
improve With a uniform grade and
That of a high quality wider mar
ket can soon be secured, and Mime
sofa butter will then take its position
in the markets of the world along
side of it's far-fdmed No. l hard
wheat