194 SPICES 



CHAP. 



very apt to be adulterated by the addition of ground 

 clove-stalks and other substances. 



Cloves are used also for chewing, to sweeten the 

 breath, and are used by betel-nut chewers as an addition 

 to the betel-nut, sirih leaf, etc. They have also long 

 had a reputation as a cure for toothache. 



A large proportion, especially of inferior cloves, are 

 used for the manufacture of clove oil. 



Oil of Cloves. Few plants are as rich in oil as the 

 clove, and the oil is of considerable value. It was first 

 obtained by distillation in the fifteenth century, and is 

 manufactured to the present day in considerable quan- 

 tities chiefly in England. The cloves are distilled either 

 whole or ground up, and according to the method of 

 distillation whether by water or dry steam, the light 

 oil or the heavier one containing much eugenol is 

 obtained. The oil, as collected in receivers, partly 

 sinks and partly floats in water. The light oil of cloves 

 is a sesquiterpene, and is separated either by the method 

 of distilling or by distilling the crude oil. The heavier 

 oil is an oxygenated oil, chiefly consisting of eugenol. 

 Normal oil of cloves is a mixture of the two oils. 



The crude oil is colourless or yellow, darkening with 

 age and exposure to the air. 



The amount of oil obtained from the clove buds 

 varies considerably in amount. It is estimated that 

 Amboyna cloves produce as much as 19 per cent of oil, 

 Bourbon and Madagascar 18 per cent, Zanzibar 15 to 

 17 '5 percent. The oil of Madagascar cloves is specially 

 favoured by French perfumers, as having a particularly 

 agreeable perfume. 



The Zanzibar and Pemba cloves, however, are the 

 ones almost exclusively used for the oil. 



Uses of Clove Oil. Clove oil combines well with 

 grease, soap, and spirit, and is thus used for perfumery 

 and articles for the toilet. 



Essence of cloves, used for flavouring confectionery, 

 liqueurs, etc., is made by dissolving 4 oz. of clove oil in 

 one gallon of spirit. 



