( XXYI ) 
DAIEY PKODUCE, 1886. 
The following remarks relating to butter, cheese, and butterine 
are extracted from ' The Grocer ' : — 
Irish Butter. — The year 1886 wUl be remarkable in the Irish 
butter trade as the cheapest year for over a quarter of a century. 
The butter season opened in the Cork market on Wednesday, 
April 21, the opening prices being — firsts, 100s.; seconds, 77s.; 
thirds, 56s. Those were extraordinary low prices for the first day 
of the season, as will be seen by referring to the opening prices in 
April of each season for the decade of years ending in 1880. 
When it was seen that butter opened so extremely cheap, it was 
thought that there would be a great reaction, and that as soon as 
these prices were telegraphed to England and abroad there would 
be a rush of orders and a large advance. This did not, however, 
take place ; and after a slight temporary advance, lasting only a 
few days, prices fell even lower, and continued to fall untU June 15th, 
when they stood — firsts, 68s. ; seconds, 60s. ; thirds, 55s. This was 
the cheaj^est day of the season, and the cheapest day for over thirty 
years back. After this there was a steady but very gradual advance. 
The highest prices in the following months were — July, firsts, 76s. ; 
seconds, 68s. ; thirds, 61s. August, firsts, 86s. ; seconds, 76s. ; thirds, 
70s. September, firsts, 106s. ; seconds, 928. ; thirds, 77s. October, 
firsts, 112s.; seconds, 103s.; thirds, 92s. November, firsts, 117s.; 
seconds, 102s. ; thirds, 93s. It may be observed that even at the 
advanced prices, butter was as a rule still much below the prices 
at corresponding periods in former years, and the experience in 
the Cork market is in this respect representative of all other butter 
markets. 
W^e are glad to be able to say that there is a marked improve- 
ment in the quality of Irish butter, and that this improvement 
appears to be progressive. What has to be aimed at mostly now, 
and what we would- impress the necessity of on the Cork Butter 
Market Trustees, is greater uniformity of classification. 
FoKEiGN BoTTER. — Piiccs for all denominations classed under 
this head have increased in 1887, as compared with 1886.* Con- 
tinental butters have scarcely occupied such a prominent place as 
formerly, prices having been too high when compared with home 
and Irish produce, and the quality of many of the dairies not being 
* See Table of prices on p. XXVIII. 
