SPICES AND CONDIMENTS. 



229 



numerous stone-cells and fibro- vascular bundles, and in Canada peas 

 and roasted corn have been found. The presence of these cheap dilu- 

 ents should be sought for, as in peppers, but they are less common in 

 this spice. 



CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ALLSPICE. 



But little has been published in regard to the proximate principles of 

 the pimento. The amount of volatile oil is said by Fliickiger to be from 

 3 to 4J per cent., while starch and much tannin are present in the berry. 

 Dragendorff has also found a minute quantity of an alkaloid of the odor 

 of coumarine. Hassall gives analyses, which are too old to be of any 

 value, and quotes Pereira as an authority for the fact that the essential 

 oil of pimento is made up of two distinct oils, which, of course, may be 

 true in one sense but is hardly of value as a definite distinction, both 

 for this spice and cloves, as has been already remarked. 



As a matter of fact but little is known of this spice. We have ex- 

 amined seven samples with the results here given : 



4500. Whole allspice. 



4501. Ground allspice, guaranteed pure, Washington. 

 4513. Ground allspice, ground in Washington. 

 4525. Ground allspice, ground in Baltimore. 



4530. Ground allspice, ground in Baltimore. 

 4534. Ground allspice, ground in Baltimore. 

 4538. Ground allspice, English brand. 



4877. Ground allspice, best, cheap grade, Baltimore. 



4878. Ground allspice, pure, cheap grade, Baltimore. 



All the samples were ground by diiferent firms except the last two. 

 Analyses of pimento, allspice. 



In our analyses there is considerable variation among the samples. 



iking the whole berry as the standard the others fall off very much in 

 luality, as judged by the volatile oil, with the exception of number 4530, 

 which, too, from its low fiber, high asb, and high volatile and fixed oil is 

 suspicious, and proves to be a substitution of cloves and clove stems. 

 The microscope has shown that this sample is inferior cloves, and it 

 must- therefore be rejected. 



