294 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



In 1881 and the following years the results were tabulated as fol- 



lows: 



*Many labeled " Mixtures." 



It is seen that several years after the enactment of the law the 

 adulteration of spices is as enormous as at first. This arises, how- 

 ever from lack of prosecution and non-enforcement of the law. Of 

 the occurrence of adulterants in spices the chief analyst says in his 

 report for 1885 : 



During the year co'nsiderable attention was j^aid to spices and co^adiinents. View- 

 ing the fact that in the past a very large amount of adulteration had been reported 

 as prevaihng in these substances, and with a view to ascertaining whether the 

 adulteration was practiced by the manufacturer or by the dealers, a systematic vis- 

 itation was made of all the spice-gi-inders in the Dominion (or all that could be 

 recognized as such), and their factories and stores were inspected, Under sections 7 

 and 8, with the results as shown in the appendix. 



The examination of 19 samples of ground cinnamon resulted in finding 7 genuine, 

 4 consisted of a substitution of cassia; 1 was adulterated with cassia, and 6 with 

 other inert matter; 1 consisted of cassia adulterated with foreign vegetable matter. 



Of ground cloves, 22 samples were examined. Twelve proved to be pure and 10 

 adulterated, the adulterant chiefly used being clove stems, pea meal, roasted and 

 ground cocoanut shells. 



Of 66 samples of ground ginger, 29 were reported as being adulterated, almost ex- 

 clusively with wheat flour, non-injurious to health, doubtless: but unless the pur- 

 chaser be duly warned of the nature of the compound his pocket would be seri- 

 ously prejudiced, if not injured, as this sophistication was practiced to the extent of 

 from 10 to 15 to from 25 to 40 per cent., the pungency being imparted by the judi- 

 cious admixture of Cayenne pepper. 



Fifty samples of mustard were examined, and many of these were properly sold 

 as "compound" or mixtures, but one of the worst samples was sold with a' label 

 guaranteeing it to be " ground from finest English seed and free from adulteration." 

 Of the 50 samples, 9 were reported genuine, 2 of excellent quality, and 39 were all 

 more or less admixtures of mustard-seed or mustard cake (from which the natural 

 fi.xed ofl. had been expressed), with wheat flour and turmeric, and in some cases 

 with corn-starch or bean meal, in varying proportions up to as high as 50 or even 

 60 per cent. It was formerly contended that the addition of wheat flour or other 

 inert matter was a necessity, to give the ground mustard keeping quahties and make 

 the condiment palatable by softening its natm-al acridity. But the most reputable 

 manufacturers have demonstrated the fallacy of this contention by the production 

 of an absolutely pure mustard, which has received public acceptance and apprecia- 

 tion; and two, at least, of our home manufacturers are happily following in their 

 steps. It is a question yet to be decided how far the use of mustard cake, deprived 

 of the natural fixed oil, is permissible in the manufactiue of this condiment. Dr. 

 Ellis's observations on this matter are very much to the point, and have received 

 confirmation by similar experiments in my laboratory, and doubtless when next the 

 analysts meet in conference tliis question will be settled in a manner favorable to 

 the use of mustard cake. 



Twenty-four samples of Cayenne pepper were examined, of which 14 were re- 

 ported adultered, but 3 of these were appealed to the judgment of the chief an- 

 alyst, and the decision of the public analyst was not sustained, as -mil be seen on 



