No. 4.] REPORT OF DAIRY BUREAU. 245 



179,379 tubs, not counting the boxes, and the consumption 

 of butter increased very materially. 



Although oleomargarine is a substance of "great food 

 value," "a distinct, independent article," pushed on "the 

 merits of its individuality," we find that what the dealers 

 care for, more than the nutritive elements or number of 

 calories of food value, is the yellow color of butter ; and, if 

 they cannot have the article colored in imitation of a prod- 

 uct which it is not, their occupation is largely gone. Much 

 yellow oleomargarine, however, still comes into the State 

 from Rhode Island, which has been behind all the other New 

 England States in oleomargarine legislation, and is now the 

 centre of operations for a large business in this State. 

 Several manufacturing companies have located in Rhode 

 Island, among them the Vermont Manufacturing Company 

 and the Woo'dlawn Dairy Company. These have agents in 

 Massachusetts, who leave with boarding-house proprietors 

 and others in manufacturing cities and towns blank orders 

 which when filled out are sent to Rhode Island. The goods 

 are then forwarded to them by express or freight. Some- 

 times, doubtless, the legal sale takes place in Massachusetts ; 

 but to get evidence of this is difficult, and would require 

 much expense for skilful detective work, and often, then, 

 we might have nothing to show for the money expended. 

 The following are two forms of orders used : — 



Swift & Co., 252-262 Canal Street, Providence, R. I. 



Please send to Swift's colored butterine, price 



Ship by 



And oblige, 



189 . 

 Woodlawn Dairy Co., Patotucket, R. I. 



Dear Sir : — Please send me by express, C. O. D. : — 

 Tub butterine, lb<., at cts. 

 Box prints, Lbs., at cts. 



and oblige, 



Yours truly, 



Our agents have in a number of cases watched the receipts 

 of oleomargarine at various railroad depots, followed the 

 goods to the place of consumption, and found that they went 



