Classification of Butter.
The New York Mercantile Exchange classification, which is standard, is as follows: Eastern Creamery, Sweet Cream Creamery, Dairy Butter, Western Creamery, Imitation Creamery, and Dairy, also “Ladle” and “Grease Butter.”
Creamery Butter is the best. It is such as is made from the cream obtained by setting the milk at the creamery, or by the system known as “Cream gathering,” by which the farmer delivers his cream to the creamery to be churned or made into butter. Butter made under the former system, or from the milk, is better than that made from the gathered cream. Sweet Cream Creamery is made from unfermented cream.
Dairy Butter is that which is made, salted, and packed by the dairyman or farmer. Though often really excellent, it is less uniform in quality, and therefore less reliable.
Ladle Butter.—This is butter of all seasons, ages, and qualities, collected by the dealer, in rolls, lumps, or packages, from the farm houses, salted, or unsalted, as the case may be, and by him reworked, resalted, colored, and packed.
Grades of Butter.—The varieties are all graded again into “Extras,” “Extra Firsts,” “Firsts,” “Seconds,” “Thirds,” etc. “Extras” are the choicest grades under each classification, and must come up to the following standard. Flavor must be perfect if fresh made, and fine if held; body perfect and uniform, color good for the season when made, perfect and uniform; must be properly salted, and in good and uniform packages. “Extra Firsts” must be a grade just below “Extras,” and fine butter; good color, etc., etc. “Firsts” must be clean and sweet, sound and good. “Seconds” must be fair throughout, may be strong if held, on tops and sides of package. “Thirds” may be off-flavored, etc. “Poor Butter” may be strong, and of all grades below “Thirds” down to “Grease Butter.”