No. 4.] BUTTER EXHIBIT. 131 



as to the quality of butter, how to put it up, how to sell it, 

 and what good butter is. 



Mr. E. A. Harris (of Boston). ]\Ir. Chairman, ladies 

 and gentlemen : 1 think I am unable to fulfil all the require- 

 ments of the chairman. I never made a })ound of butter my- 

 self, so I do not think I can give you much information as to 

 the manufacture of it. 



Three years ago, in Great Harrington, it was my privilege 

 to see a State exhibit of ])utter, and I was disappointed in 

 the quality of the butter displayed. I am very much pleased 

 with the display of butter here to-day, on account of its ex- 

 cellent quality. It averages very high indeed for this season 

 of the year. It reflects great credit upon the exhibitors.. 

 It would stand creditably with the butter of any State in the 

 Union. It has been my privilege to examine butter in 

 various States. Yermont for many years has taken the lead 

 of the United States. Although the exhibit to-day is small 

 in quantity, it compares very favorably with any exhibit in 

 Vermont in the winter season. The highest score was 97|. 

 Two years ago, in Builington, Vt., the butter on which the 

 gold medal was given scored 91 h Last year, in Vermont, 

 I think the highest was 97 or 97^. I think Franklin County 

 butter men are entitled to a gre^t deal of credit. We now 

 have the system of making butter throughout the year, so that 

 new butter is placed on the tallies of our customers every day 

 in the year, and it is almost impossible to sell butter to the 

 first-class trade unless freshly made. The newer the butter 

 is, the better the customers are pleased with it. Great ad- 

 vances have been made in the last few years. Pr()l)al)ly no 

 article has been so improved as this article of butter. I 

 claim there is nothing that comes three times a day onto the 

 table that is so hard to get and so much of a luxury as really 

 fine butter that has the flavor so much desired. I claim that 

 butter making is an art, and the people who make good but- 

 ter arc entitled to great credit. The butter here to-day is, 

 as a rule, put up in very attractive form. The trade has 

 greatly changed during the past few years, and demands 

 smaller "quantities in smaller packages. They used to have 

 it in large tubs, — June butter jiut up to sell in the winter; 

 but we cannot sell it now to our trade. We have sfot to 



