cuMix. 139 



Bromine dissolved in chloroform, at first nearly colourless, turn- 

 ing to dirty brown with a tinge of red, and finally to a dirty sage- 

 green. 



Concentrated sulphuric acid, deep orange to red. 



Frohde's reagent, yellow, deep brown, violet to deep blue, the 

 changes in colour being extremely rapid. 



Nitric acid gave a yellow coloration. 



Picric acid dissolved in the oil. 



With solid iodine, much heat was evolved. 



Gaseous hydrochloric acid was passed into the oil for some time, 

 but on cooling the liquid no crystalline deposit separated. 



A slight precipitate of silver was produced from an ammoniacal 

 solution of the nitrate. 



The value of the fruit may be estimated at about Es. 6 per 

 jpharrah (about 25 lbs.). 



Cumin. 



Cumin or Cummin Seed* is the dried fruit of Cumiimm 

 Cyminum Lin., an annual. Fennel-like, umbelliferous plant, native 

 of Upper Egypt and Ethiopia, but cultivated since ancient times 

 in Arabia, India, China, Sicily and the countries bordering the 

 Mediterranean. The plant ripens its fruit as far north as the 

 south of Xorway, but the bulk of the supply is derived from 

 Sicily, Malta and Mogador. It is also cultivated in the United 

 States. The seeds are powerfully aromatic, both odour and taste 

 being analagous to, but hotter and far less agreeable than 

 caraway. 



The market price of Cumin is regulated by the Indian supplies. 

 The export from India for the last few years was as follows : — 



1884-5 5,860 cwts. 



1885-6 7,861 „ 



1886-7 9,051 „ 



1887-8 14,110 „ 



1888-9 11,117 „ 



1889-90 11,351 „ 



* Isaiah xxviii., 25-27 ; St. Matthew xxiii., 23. 



