No. I.J IIKPOKT OF DAIKY BUKEAU. 



267 



The olcoinai-gariiie licenses issued in this State have 

 slightly increased over last year, now being as follows: — 



Retail, uiu'olored, 

 Wholesale, uiicolored, 



Total, 



256 

 21 



277 



Renovated Butter. 



The nso of renovated butter in this State is apparently 

 on the decline, according to our inspectors' reports. Most 

 of the goods now sold are in the print form. The cases in 

 court during the year for violation of the renovated butter 

 law, 51, was the smallest number since 1902. There is now 

 but one licensed concern in this State manufacturing reno- 

 vated butter. 



Butter. 



The consumption of butter is on the increase year by 

 year, keeping reasonable ]>ace with the increase in popula- 

 tion, as shown by the Chamber of Commerce figures for the 

 years from 1900 to 1908: — 



Pounds. 



1900, 49,288,306 



1901, 

 1902, 

 1903, 

 1904, 

 1905, 

 1906, 

 1907, 

 1908, 



Average annual increase for nine years, 



50,565,193 

 51,897,478 

 52,185,924 

 56,016,157 

 59,596,542 

 63,343,776 

 63,568,240 

 66,772,183 



1,942,653 



These figures are encouraging, and show that imitations 

 have not as yet made serious inroads into the Initter business. 



The creameries at Montague and North Orange have been 

 sold and have gone out of business. 



The average price paid the local creamery patrons has not 

 varied materially from last year. The average wholesale 

 price of butter in Boston, however, has been about 1 cent 

 per pound lower than in 1007. 



