226 ODOROGRAPHIA. 
The fiower-stalks of cloves were formerly an important article 
of commerce in Europe; they were known in France as “ Griffes 
de Giroflé,’” “ Pédoncules de Giroflé;” in Italy as “ Fusti” and 
“ Bastaroni” ; and in Latin as “ Stiptes Caryophylli.” The leaves 
of the clove-tree were also commercially dealt nm. There is still a 
market in the “stalks”; they are called by the natives of Zanzibar 
“ Vikunia,” and they are imported into England for the purpose of 
adulterating powdered cloves ; they may be detected by the micro- 
scope by the fact of their containing thick-walled cells, which are 
not present in cloves. The flavour of the stalks is moderately 
aromatic. They yield by distillation 4 or 5 per cent. of essential 
oil rich in hydrocarbon ; for this reason the action of the oil is 
leevogyre on polarized light. 
Powdered cloves are also adulterated with powdered Jamaica 
pimento, and this adulteration can be equally discovered by the 
microscope by reason of the thick ligneous walls of the cells. 
Pimento also contains a quantity of starch granules, which are not 
visible in pure powdered cloves. The microscope also reveals a 
great number of large starch granules in the seed of the clove, 
which is also imported into London for the same purpose of adul- 
teration. The seed is much poorer in essential oil than the flower 
of the clove. 
It is a common practice to falsify this spice with spent cloves 
from which the oil has been distilled. They are dried and rubbed 
between the hands, previously moistened with a little sweet oil to 
brighten their colour, after which they are mixed up with fresh 
cloves for sale. 
Oil of Cloves.—It is estimated that the flower-buds of the Clove- 
tree yield on distillation as follows :— 
Amboyna, 19 per cent.; Bourbon, 18 per cent.; St. Marie 
(Madagascar), 18 per cent. ; Zanzibar, 17:5 per cent. 
Clove stalks 6 per cent. 
“Clove root” (Geum urbanum).0°04 per cent. 
Few plants possess organs so rich in oil as the clove. This oil 
is at first colourless or yellow, darkening by age and exposure to 
theair. Itisopticallyimactive. It consists of a mixture in variable 
proportions of a sesquiterpene and an oxygenated oil. The first 
constituent, sometimes termed “ Light oil of cloves,’ passes over 
with the vapour of water when the crude oil is distilled with strong 
potash lye ; its composition is C,;H.,; its sp. gr. is 0°910 at 15° C.; 
