SPICES AND CONDIMENTS. 205 



4537. Sifting and examination showed the presence of P. D. in some 

 form and corn. It contains no roasted matter or charcoal. 



4543. Proved to be quite pure and well ground, all the material pass- 

 ing a 40-inesh and nearly all a 60-mesh sieve. This is the only pure 

 ground sample met with. 



4552. Sifting shows the presence of a complicated collection of adul- 

 terants, husks of various origin, &c. Microscopic examination detected 

 mustard hulls, corn, roasted shells, or charcoal not bleachable, and other 

 foreign material not identified. 



4553. Contains mustard hulls and branny matter, but no charcoal. 

 Bad. 



4883 and 4884. From the same mill in Baltimore were the worst speci- 

 mens met with. They contained but little pepper and were made up of 

 P. D.. yellow corn, cracker dust, cayenne, charcoal, and other foreign 

 matter. 



4882. A white pepper from the same source was of the same origin, 

 leaving out the black elements. 



4524 and 4544. These white peppers were found to be pure, but the 

 former not carefully decorticated. 



4555. Contained foreign starchy matter and probably cayenne. Sift- 

 ing revealed nothing abnormal. 



These examples serve to show the variations which are met with and 

 what the analyist may expect. It is always well, also, to be on one's 

 guard for something new. 



As a confirmation of the physical examination and a means of deter- 

 mining the amount of adulteration in the several cases determinations 

 were made of the proximate composition: 



