Chemical and Physical Papers. 45 



tract which clove stems yield, which would preclude them as 

 favorable adulterants. 



Other adulterants which have been reported as having been 

 occasionally found in ground cloves are allspice, exhausted 

 ginger, cereal products, ground nut-shells, olive stones and 

 charcoal. It is needless to say that microscopical analysis 

 readily shows any such sophistication. 



Analysis of a recently secured sample of pure cloves gave 

 the following results: 



Moisture : . 1 . 84% 



Ash 5.80% 



Volatile ether extract '. 12.49% 



Nonvolatile ether extract 8.21% 



Crude fiber 8 . 64% 



Tabulated below will be found the results of analysis of four 

 samples, which fairly exemplify the average condition of the 

 present market. These samples were selected out of a num- 

 ber of others as representative for the investigation. It will 

 be noticed that no estimation was made of the tannic acid, 

 which is always present in the form of gallotanic, or querci- 

 tannic, acid in cloves. This constituent is usually present to 

 the extent of about 13 per cent. The most essential constitu- 

 ent, of course, is the volatile oil contained in the ether extracts. 



Sample. Moisture. 



No. 1 1 . 52 



No. 2 2 . 43 



No. 3 2.05 



No. 4 2 . 69 



Microscopical examination showed the powder to be the 

 product of the clove fruit without foreign admixture of ex- 

 traneous substances. 



ALLSPICE. 



This condiment is composed of the full-grown but unripe 

 fruit of the "Jamaica Pepper" plant. The berries are gath- 

 ered before they are fully ripe, as the aroma is partly lost if 

 the fruit is permitted to mature completely. On drying the 

 berries become almo.st black. Sometimes they have been 

 made more attractive by coloring them with a brown ochre, 

 a sophistication of which may readily be detected. 



Allspice, like mother cloves, contains starch, which under 

 the microscope appears as nearly circular granules with a 

 central spot or hilum, and often arranged in groups as are 



