SUBSTITUTES AND ADULTERANTS. 221 



From this analysis it will be observed that the average 

 ash of coffee when incinerated is about 4 per cent, 3.24 

 of which is soluble in water, and 0.76 insoluble, more 

 than half ot the entire ash consisting of potash in com- 

 bination with carbonic and phosphoric acids. Magnesia 

 amounting to about 8 and lime to about 4 per cent, of 

 the whole, while it is claimed that soda and silica are 

 entirely absent from coffee ash, great stress being laid on 

 this circumstance. The ash of chicory, on the other 

 hand, which is the main adulterant of coffee, amounts to 

 5 06 when incinerated, 1.74 per cent, of which only is 

 soluble in water, and 3.32 insoluble, being almost an 

 inversion of figures and from which it may be easily 

 understood why the examination of the ash alone would 

 suffice to distinguish between coffee and chicory, and 

 from which it may readily be determined, an examina- 

 tion of the ash test alone sufficing to distinguish pure 

 coffee from the adulterated compounds. 



Another unerring test, known as the " Color test," is to 

 prepare a saturated .solution of common salt and mix a 

 small quantity of the coffee to be tested with ten times its 

 weight of the solution in a test-tube at least three quarters 

 of an inch in diameter, shaking it repeatedly so that the 

 coffee may be thoroughly wetted, and then allow the tube 

 to stand for half an hour. Next, closely observe the color 

 of the liquid and the quantity of coffee floating on the sur- 

 face as well as the amount deposited in the tube. If the color 

 be a very pale amber and almost all of the coffee floats 

 on top, the sample may be assumed to be pure, but if of 

 a decidedly dark -yellow or brownish hue, it clearly indi- 

 cates the admixture of chicory or some similar adulter- 

 ant, in which case there is also a larger deposit for the 

 reasons already stated. This deposit increases and the 

 color of the brine grows darker in proportion to the 



