Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 270, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1913 — PROPERLY PACKED BUTTER SELLS BEST [ARTICLE]

PROPERLY PACKED BUTTER SELLS BEST

Takes But Few Minutes More Time and Increases Price When Selling to Merchant. (By W. H. UNDERWOOD.) When a farmer’s wife or daughter has a sufficient quantity of milk to be able to sell some butter she ought by all means to find out Just what sort of butter people will pay the highest price for, and how the same is packed for sale, and comply with these conditions. If they do so they will get all it is worth. On a Saturday not long since I was waiting in the store, several persons brought in butter, and with the exception of that from two customers (myself and one other) it was all made In round prints and wratflled in oil paper, and some of the large rolls were also wrapped in oil-paper. The clerk weighed a basket of 8pound prints, and they tipped the scale at 6*4 pounds only. I asked him what he paid and he said 20 cents. I tasted the .butter. It was good and the merchant would have been glad to pay S 5 cents, the same as I got, but he said he could not sell it for more on acount of its mussy appearance. If each one of those persons would pay $1.25 for a brick-shaped butter mold that will make an exact pound; 60 cents for a roll of parchment paper 7>4 inches wide, tear the paper with the aid of a ruler into sheets 2% Inches long, dip these into cold water and wrap each pound neatly, pack them neatly in a clean box lined with white paper. I assure you they can then get 25 cents a pound for their butter and the gain in price will give them a good many dollars to put into their pockets. 1$ will not take ten minutes longer on churning day to do this, and the knowledge of putting a first-class article on the market in first-class condition will repay In Itself. It is not best to use the oiled paper. It is impossible to handle the butter without tearing it, and it makes the butter look any way but well.