ii6 FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 



any one of the class of chemical substances (alkaloids) 

 to which theine belongs. 



" The seeds of the Cassia occidentalis affords in lOO 

 parts — 



Mucilaginous matter, that is soluble gum or arabica, 



and insoluble gum or bassorin, with some legumin 38 '2 



Celluloid matter or fibre 30*7 



Fat 5-1 



Other organic matter, including a little sugar and 

 starch, a good deal of reddish-brown colouring 



matter, and some insoluble albumenoid matter . n ' 5 



Water 9'6 



Mineral matter, similar to that of most vegetable sub- 

 stances 4*9 



lOO'O 



" A qualitative analysis of the seeds of the Cassia 

 tora showed that they resembled in composition the 

 seeds of Cassia occidentalis. 



"The roasted seeds resemble coffee in odour and 

 flavour ; an infusion of the ground roasted seeds can 

 scarcely be distinguished in taste, aroma or appearance 

 from infusion of coffee. 



"The foregoing investigations enable me to give 

 the opinion that Cassia tora, or ' Cassofee,' is not 

 analogous to true coffee, because it does not contain 

 theine, ' sometimes termed caffeine,' or any similar 

 principle. 



" Cassofee is equivalent to ' fig coffee,' ' date coffee,' 

 'chicory,' &c. Such substances when torrefied, 

 parched or roasted, have their gum, sugar, starch, &c., 

 converted into dark brown coloured matters having 



