90 EXTKACTS FROM DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAK [Sept. 1894. 



BEPORTS. 



While most vegetables and garden fruit pay well, celery, 

 strawberries, blackberries, and cabbages are said to be especially 

 remunerative, and can be all made profitable industries. 



Italian Margarine Law. 



The Board of Agriculture have received through the Foreign 

 Office a copy of a despatch from Rome enclosing a translation of 

 a new law respecting the conditions under which margarine and 

 butter substitutes may be sold in Italy. 



This law, which is dated July 19th, 1894, provides that 

 persons who for commercial purposes keep or sell, or export 

 from, or import into the, kingdom of Italy, butter prepared 

 wholly or partly of margarine or of other oily or fatty sub- 

 stances not derived from milk-cream, shall print clearly on each 

 piece of the product either the words artificial butter or else the 

 word margarine. 



They must also indicate in large and clear letters and in the 

 same words the nature of the article on the receptacle, linen, or 

 paper containing it, and the artificial character of the butter, or 

 the composition of the mixture, must be mentioned in the books, 

 bills, letters, and bills of lading. 



It is further provided that to the receptacle or wrapper a 

 label must be affixed clearly indicating the artificial character 

 of the article in ^the above-mentioned words. Shops where 

 products resembling butter are exposed for sale must have a 

 notice outside with the following words in clear characters : — 

 Margarine, Oleomargarine, Elementary Fat, or Artificial Butter, 

 sold here. 



Makers and sellers of margarine, oleomargarine, artificial 

 butter, or mixtures of oily or fatty substances not derived from 

 milk-cream are forbidden to add any colouring matter to their 

 produce which would tend to make it resemble natural butter. 



The penalty for a breach of the preceding regulations is a fine 

 ranging from 8^. to 80^., accompanied by confiscation of the 

 goods. 



In case of a repetition of the ofience an additional punishment 

 may be inflicted of three months' imprisonment and of suspen- 

 sion of the right to carry on the trade for a period varying, 

 according to the circumstances, from ten days to six months. 



The Ministry of Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce is em- 

 powered to make special regulations to ensure the execution of 

 the present law, and to give the necessary instructions to the 

 communal sanitary officers and to the customs officials. 



