2 THE BOOK OF BUTTER 



reported that in many cold regions persons use butter as a 

 bath. There is record of its having been employed as a 

 remedy for wounded elephants. Not many years ago large 

 quantities of butter were used in Scotland and in North 

 England for smearing sheep and for lamp oil, as well as for 

 medicine. In Spain, as late as the seventeenth century, it 

 was found in medicine shops for external application only. 

 In the rural districts in Germany, fresh unsalted butter 

 has been employed as a cooling salve for burns. 



In some countries the possession of butter was considered 

 to be an indication of wealth. In both Chilas and Darel 

 the practice of storing it in the ground still exists. Very 

 often butter thus stored is left for many years. In order 

 to identify the place and also to insure its. not being 

 disturbed, a tree is often planted over it. Under these 

 conditions it turns red. The wealth of the owner is com- 

 puted by the quantity of butter he has stored in this way. 



In the early history, butter was used as a food by 

 comparatively few persons. When it was eaten the gen- 

 eral practice was to enrich cooked foods. It was stored 

 in the melted condition and was never eaten when fresh. 

 In fact, in comparatively recent times, strong stored 

 butter was used as an appetizer. In Dardistan (in Asia) 

 the peasants prized salted butter-grease that had been 

 kept a long time. They especially valued butter that 

 was held over one hundred years. 



Not much is known concerning butter as a commercial 

 article in ancient times. It is stated that in the first cen- 

 turies it was shipped from India to ports of the Red Sea. 

 In the twelfth century Scandinavian butter was exported. 

 The Germans sent cargoes of wine to Bergen, Norway, 

 and exchanged them for butter and dried fish. It seems 

 that the Scandinavian king considered this practice in- 



