34 THIRTIETH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE 



At the last international exhibition held in Paris ten years 

 or more ago, the State of Vermont won the highest honors of 

 the world on butter. This was due to the public spirit and 

 enterprise of the proprietors of the GreenMountain Stock Farm 

 in supplying- the government. This time we hope to have a 

 larger exhibit, and that we shall be able to act as a useful and 

 efficient agent in securing a satisfactory exhibit of our dairy 

 industries on this occasion; the object being, as I have said, 

 to show to the world through this Paris exhibition — which 

 is to be visited by people from all parts of the world — what 

 we can do. It is an opportunity to do a good piece of Yankee 

 advertising. 



President Pierce. There will be an opportunity of a few 

 minutes for any person to ask any questions of Maj. Alvord. 

 What has been the outcome of the governmental dairy exports 

 which have been made? 



Maj. Alvord. Greater confidence has been given to mer- 

 chants, especially in Great Britain, in the ability of this coun- 

 try to furnish a satisfactory article in butter and cheese, and 

 to deliver it in the markets in prime condition. I think mer- 

 chants were rather in doubt as to our ability to do this. Their 

 experience has been with the low grade of goods, but the Gov- 

 ernment has sent nothing but the best, and thus we have en- 

 deavored to give a character to our products of this country. 

 As a result of this work, there is a pretty active demand for 

 American butter and especially for American cheese. The lat- 

 ter has always been in demand During the last year or two 

 there has been more of a demand than our merchants were 

 inclined to comply with because with the exception of a few 

 weeks last summer our own people have been willing to pay 

 more than foreigners, so the work has been of a prospective 

 kind. 



President Pierce. What has been your experience, and what 

 is your opinion in regard to preservatives in butter? 



Maj. Alvord. First and foremost, that we do not need them 

 and hence it would be foolish to use them certainly for butter 

 sent to Great Britain, which is the great butter market. Al- 

 low me to answer the question indirectly. Although the de- 

 partment during the last three years has been making these 

 experimental exports to almost all parts of the world, yet in 

 a great measure its attention has been given to the market of 

 Great Britain. If there is one thing that has become appar- 

 ent, it is that Great Britain is a great butter market, it is by 

 far the best foreign outlet for our butter and cheese, and it is 

 the British market that should be satisfied and cultivated. 

 We do not need preservative in sending butter and cheese to 

 England any more than does Denmark in catering to the same 



