Experimental Parcel-Post Shipments of Butter

Shipments of butter aggregating more than 10,000 pounds have been made by the Bureau of Markets, under various conditions and in packages carrying from 1 to 10 pounds, over both long and short distances, in order to test various kinds of shipping containers, methods of packing, and the possibilities of parcel-post shipping of butter during the summer and other seasons. These experimental shipments consisted of (1) shipments of fresh butter from four creameries to this bureau, and (2) shipments of the butter received from the creameries by the bureau to experiment stations and return shipments of the same. The summarized results of the shipments from the four creameries are presented in the following table:

Table I.—Experimental shipments of butter by parcel post in 2, 3, 5, and 10 pound parcels from creameries to the Bureau of Markets.

Creamery.Distance
from
Washington
(miles).		Hours
in
transit.		Months
covered.		Number
of
ship-
ments.		Received
in
satisfactory
condition.		Received
in
unsatisfactory
condition.		Total
pounds
of
butter.
Num-
ber.		Per-
cent.		Num-
ber.		Per-
cent.
A37522 April to October222218 98.2 4 1.8  822
B53648to60August and September 61 60 98.4 1 1.6  249
C18718to20June and July 82 73 89.0 911.0  290
D26618to20April to January 89 89100.0......  661
Total 454440 96.914 3.12,022

Fig. 1.—Two views of hand printer for 1-pound prints.

Although many of these shipments were made during the heat of summer, only 14 of the 454 shipments, or 3.1 per cent, were received in an unsatisfactory condition. These very satisfactory results may be attributed to the care exercised in the proper packing of butter in suitable shipping containers and the pre-cooling or thorough hardening of the butter at the creameries before shipment.

The experimental shipments to the State experiment stations were satisfactory where the temperature and distance were not too great. Butter which had softened much in transit from the creamery to the bureau when later shipped to the experiment stations did not arrive in as good condition as that in which the grain had not been previously injured. In general, the shipments from Washington were successful when forwarded as far north as Maine and as far west as Michigan and Indiana. Shipments into the South were successful for shorter distances.

The results of these experimental shipments indicate that well-made butter, thoroughly chilled before shipping, when packed in a suitable container, may be marketed satisfactorily by parcel post when extreme high temperatures are not encountered. Under ordinary conditions, where the butter does not melt and a firm or semifirm condition is maintained, the shipping of butter by parcel post generally may be successful. Even though proper safeguards were taken, the shipments made during extremely hot weather frequently arrived in an oily and unsatisfactory condition.