United States Imitation Butter. 



99 



estimated at over £100,000,000 ; wheat, which ranks next to 

 maize among the cereal crops, gave a return of £77,000,000 ; 

 while oats were produced to the value of £45,000,000. Cotton, 

 the great crop of the Southern States, was valued at 

 £67,500,000. 



Live stock and their products formed an exceedingly impor- 

 tant factor in the grand total. The animals sold and slaughtered 

 during the year were valued at over £187,500,000. The several 

 products of the dairy — milk, butter, and cheese — were together 

 estimated at close upon £100,000,000, while poultry and eggs 

 together brought a return of nearly £60,000,000. 



United States Imitation Butter Industry. 



In July, 1902, a law came into force in the United States 

 making the tax on oleomargarine, coloured to resemble butter, 

 5d. per lb. and Jd. per lb. on uncoloured.* This has been a very 

 heavy blow to the industry, although during the year more was 

 produced than in any previous year, but the value of the 

 product was considerably reduced. The Chicago factories pro- 

 duced 43,685,000 lb. against 42,945,000 lb. in 1901. The export 

 of oleo fell off by more than 50,000,000 lb., and the export to 

 the United Kingdom shows a steady decrease in the last three 

 years. 



Many ways have been tried to evade the law. A suffi- 

 cient quantity of colouring matter is given with each packet 

 retailed to enable the purchaser to colour according to taste. 

 Palm oil has been used, as it was found that a small quantity 

 was sufficient to colour a large amount of oleo ; but the officials 

 have ruled against this, as the palm oil cannot be said to be 

 used as part of the material for making the product, but simply 

 as colouring. Experiments are now being made towards 



* The provisions of this law were given in h : s Journal for September and 

 December last, Vol. IX. pp. 251 and 393. 



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