SPICES AND CONDIMENTS. 



PART I. 



Under this head are included substances which while not in them- 

 selves foods serve to render the latter more palatable, and to stimulate 

 digestion. They occupy an important position in the diet of the human 

 race, and are largely subject to ad ulteration or sophistication. Among 

 the more common are : Peppers of various kinds, mustard, cloves, cin- 

 namon, cassia, allspice or pimento, nutmeg, mace, ginger. 



These substances are so often and seriously adulterated because it is 

 readily accomplished, owing to the custom of putting them on the mar- 

 ket in a ground condition, which prevents the recognition of quality 

 from mere appearance, and because so many cheap substitutes or dilu- 

 ents are readily found which resemble the real article. In addition, 

 the demand on the part of the poorer classes for the cheapest possible 

 supply and the competition brought about by this demand in the trade 

 has, owing to general high prices attached to most of the spices of good 

 quality, fostered and extended the practice. 



At the present time in several of our largest cities the price to be 

 paid for a spice is named by the retail dealer, and he is then furnished 

 from the spice-mill with a mixture containing the largest amount of 

 pure material which can be supplied for the money, the necessary 

 weight being made up of diluents of some cheap but harmless sub- 

 | stance, different grades being distinguished by one firm as pure, extra, 

 No. 1, and superior, none of which are pure and many of which are mere 

 variation in labels with none in quality. As examples, the fact that a 

 New York firm, it is understood, in a short time used and put upon the 

 market in their spices more than 5,000 pounds of cocoanut shells, and 

 the following quotations from a journal devoted to spice milling show 

 how universal and open the custom has become. On a prominent page 

 is found : 



" All necessary information for spice manufacturing supplied." 



Attention should be paid to the use of the word manufacturing. 



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