SPICES AND CONDIMENTS. 223 



ovary, which is two-celled and contains many ovules. The lower end of the calyx 

 (hypantium) has a compressed form; it is solid, but has its internal tissue far more 

 porous than the walls. The whole calyx is of a deep rich brown, has a dull wrinkled 

 surface, a dense fleshy texture, and abounds in essential oil, which exudes on simple 

 pressure with the nail. 



The varieties of cloves occurring in commerce do not exhibit any structural differ- 

 ences. Inferior kinds are distinguished by being less plump, less bright in tint, and 

 less rich in essential oil. In London price-currents cloves are enumerated in the order 

 of value thus: Penang, Bencoolen (Sumatra), Amboyna, Zanzibar. 



A transverse section of the lower part of a clove shows a dark rhomboid zone, the 

 tissue on either side of which is of a lighter hue. The outer layer beneath the epi- 

 dermis exhibits a large number of oil cells, frequently as much as 300 micromilli- 

 ineters in diameter. About "200 oil cells may be counted in one transverse section, so 

 that the large amount of essential oil in the drug is well shown by its microscopic 

 characters. The above-mentioned zone is chiefly made up of about 30 flbro- vascular 

 bundles, another stronger bundle traversing the center of the clove. The fibro-vas- 

 cular bundles, as well as the tissue bordering the oil cells, assume a greenish-black hue 

 by alcoholic perchloride of iron. Oil cells are also largely distributed in the leaves, 

 petals, and even stamens of Eugenia. No starch is found in it, however. 



Preparations from whole cloves enable one to familiarize himself with 

 the structure, which in the ground cloves is recognized with greater 

 difficulty. In both cases the use of chloral hydrate solution is desirable, 

 is the sections and fragments are otherwise not transparent. Pre- 

 liminary examination of the powder in water for starch should, how- 

 ever, be made, as the starch granules swell in the chloral hydrate solu- 

 tion. 



Among the fragments will be seen a large amount of debris of no 

 apparent structure, but the larger pieces are chiefly the cells of the 

 epidermis interspersed with the large oil cavities or cells, which are not 

 as readily detected as in carefully prepared sections, being coucealed- 

 by a layer of the epidermal cells. Next in prominence are the fibro- 

 vascular bundles with their spiral vessels and with shreds of deep 

 brown cellular matter attached. Pollen grains and, at times, whole 

 anthers are present, and concretions of oxalate of lime. All these 

 characteristic appearances are made out much more easily under polar- 

 ized light, the long cells of the fibro-vascular bundles being optically 

 active, as are also the pollen grains, oxalate of linie to a less degree, and 



e contents of the oil cells which are thus easily distinguished. 



After a study of standard powder of cloves, the presence of adulter- 

 ants is not difficult to recognize. Pimento is often added, and may be 

 identified by the starch which it contains and the characters described 

 under that spice. 



Clove stems are said to be the commonest adulterant, and the pres- 

 ence in them of thick- walled stone cells and long yellow fibrous tissue 

 serves as a means of recognition, since similar structures are not found 

 in the clove, at least in the same abundance. The fruit of the clove is 

 also added, and since it contains starch and a large embryo they are de- 

 tected readily. We have not met either of these adulterants. 







