OLEOMARGARINE AND BUTTERINE. 19* 



merits of the subject and the proof is contested, they will furnish matter of great interest ta 

 the scientific societies." 



Speaking of the present cheapness of oleomargarine, Assistant Dairy Commissioner Van 

 Valkenburgh said : "I am informed that within the past ten days 200 tubs of the stuff have been 

 sold by one large manufacturer in this market at eight cents a pound. Inasmuch as the tubs 

 stand him in about one cent a pound, and good lard costs seven cents a pound, it is evident 

 either that he did not use a high-priced lard in making his oil, or contented himself with a 

 very small profit. 



"A favorite argument used by the advocates of butter substitutes is that they have materially 

 increased the price of the higher grades of dairy and creamery butter, and the impression 

 sought to be conveyed is that consequently the traffic in these counterfeits has been a benefit,, 

 rather than an injury, to the dairy interest. That this is untrue is conclusively proved by the 

 following figures, which were obtained from the statistician of the National Butter, Cheese, 

 and Egg Association, and are made up from the annual reports at the conventions of that 

 body. 



" For the year ending November 30, 1882, the sales of Eastern butter, made in this city at 

 an average of 29^ cents a pound, aggregated 44, 2 14, 900 pounds, the amount received being; 

 $13,043,617.05; the sales of Western butter, which averaged 28 cents a pound for that year, 

 aggregated 35,648,860, and brought $9,981,617. This made the grand total of sales for 1882 

 79,864,840 pounds, and the grand total receipts $23,025,234.05. 



" In 1883 there were sold 44,804,060 pounds of Eastern, at an average of 26 cents a pound, 

 and 46,743,850 pounds of Western butter, at 24 cents a pound, the receipts for the former 

 aggregating $11,649,055.60, and those for the latter $10,978,524. This made the total sales 

 for the year 90,547,910 pounds, and the total receipts in money $22,627,579.60. 



" In 1884, 38,263, 620 pounds of Eastern butter, at 24^ cents a pound, brought $9,374,635.90, 

 and 49,853,350 pounds of Western butter, at 22 cents a pound, $10,967,737, making the total, 

 sales 88,117,170, and the total receipts for the year $20,342,392.90. 



"In 1885 Eastern butter averaged 22 cents a pound, and Western butter 20 cents a pound, 

 and 39,480,350 pounds of the former and 54,086,500 pounds of the latter were sold. Thiv 

 shows a total of sales of 93,566,850 pounds, and a total of receipts of $19,502,977 for the 

 year. 



" By a careful comparison of these figures it can be easily seen that the price has been 

 steadily falling, Eastern butter declining from 29^ cents a pound in 1882 to 22 cents in 1885. 

 Thus, while the butter dealers in 1885 handled 13,702,000 more pounds of the product than 

 they did in 1882, they received in money $3,522,388.05 less. It should be remembered that 

 these statistics represent the trade of New York City alone, which is probably not more than 

 one-tenth of the trade of the United States. By comparing the receipts of 1882, when the 

 total sales aggregated 79,864,840 pounds, with those of 1883, when 90,547,910 pounds were 

 sold, there will be found a difference of $1,397,715.45. In other words, the dealers handled 

 10,683, 070 more pounds of butter in 1883 than they did in 1882, and received for it $1,397, 715. 45 

 less. In the succeeding year there was a further decline, and the total receipts fell off from. 

 $22,627,579.60 to $20,342,372.90 the amount handled in 1884 being 2,430,740 pounds less 

 than that handled in 1883." 



"Is there any reason to doubt that these results have been brought about by the unholy 

 traffic in oleomargarine, butterine, and other bogus butters?" said a leading butter merchant. 

 " If you will inquire among reputable retail dealers, you will find that nine out of ten of the 

 consumers who visit their stores to purchase butter ask especially as to its genuineness. You 

 will also find that many dealers have lost a certain proportion of their customers through the 

 distrust that arises in the public mind as to the wholesomeness and genuineness of the article 

 offered for sale. I was told the other day that the butter trade of certain well known and long 

 established grocers, who are known to value their reputation too highly to risk it by dealing 

 in counterfeits of any kind, had nearly doubled since the agitation of the oleomarga-ine ques- 



