304 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



would hardly be recognized by the average purchaser. As 

 the work of enforcing the law has progressed, these decep- 

 tive wrappers have to a very large extent disappeared, and 

 more honest ones have taken their place. In this connection 

 great assistance has been rendered by the United States law, 

 which was added as a sort of rider to the Grout oleomarjra- 

 rine bill. Under this United States law a revenue tax of 

 one-quarter cent a pound is imposed upon renovated butter, 

 and there are a number of useful requirements as to brands, 

 marks and stamps. 



In case of marks on the outside wrapper, when two or 

 more piurchases are made and all packages are placed in an 

 outside wrapper for the convenience of the customer in 

 diminishing the number of parcels, the Attorne3-General 

 gives us the opinion that "the outside of the parcel con- 

 taining the several parcels of ilierchandise, within the law, 

 does not require the specific label if such be upon each of 

 the parcels originally made up and delivered to the purchaser. 

 Such delivery is, in my opinion, the delivery contemplated 

 by the statute ; and if, after such delivery, the customer 

 requests, and in compliance with such request, expressed or 

 implied, the seller, as agent for the purchaser, makes up the 

 larger bundle, such transaction is no part of the original 

 delivery ; and, the law having been complied with as to 

 each of the original packages, no further labels need ])e 

 affixed by the seller." 



In connection with the new national law, considerable 

 was said in newspapers and elsewhere about the use of 

 various preservatives in renovated butter ; and, with a vicAv 

 of studying the way the business was transacted in Massa- 

 chusetts, we caused a number of samples to be analyzed. 

 Boracic acid was found in about one-third of them, and 

 thirteen cases were entered in court under the general food 

 law, which declares a substance adulterated if any antiseptic 

 or preservative is used except conunon salt, saltpetre, spices, 

 alcohol and sugar. The manufacturers defended the cases, 

 but became satisfied that the Massachusetts law was valid 

 and was to be enforced. They have therefore agreed to use 

 no more boracic acid in the butter which is put upon the 

 Massachusetts market. 



