SOME USEFUL PLANTS AND PLANT PRODUCTS 323 



is given to several resins obtained from southeastern Asia, 

 which are also used in making varnishes. Other much-used or 

 well-known resins are myrrh, frankincense, asafetida, benzoin, 

 mastic, Japanese lacquer (from the sap of one of the sumachs 

 that supply Japan wax), balsam of Peru, and gamboge. 



341. Spices. — The substances that are used as spices 

 come from different parts of plants, most often from the fruits 

 and seeds. Mustard consists of the ground seeds of several 

 species of Brassica. Pepper is the fruit of a vine, a species 

 of Piper. White pepper and black pepper are the same in 

 origin ; the difference between them results from the way 

 in which the fruit is treated. Red pepper or Cayenne pepper 

 is the ground pods of species of Capsicum, belonging to the 

 same family as the potato. The red pepper of our gardens 

 is also a Capsicum. Allspice is the dried unripe fruit of the 

 pimento tree, a native of the West Indies but cultivated 

 chiefly in Jamaica. Nutmegs are the kernels of the fruit of 

 a tree (Myristica) that is grown in various warm countries ; 

 the dried seed coats, removed from the kernels, are mace. 

 Caraway seeds are used to some extent in both the Old 

 World and the New. Cloves are the dried flower buds of a 

 tropical tree. Ginger is the dried underground stem of a 

 plant that is raised in various tropical countries. Turmeric 

 comes from the underground stems of another member of the 

 ginger family. Its most familiar use is in curry powder, in 

 which it is combined with other spices ; it is also used as a 

 yellow dye and in other ways. Cinnamon is the dried bark 

 of a tree that grows in Ceylon, and cassia bark and cassia 

 buds come from a similar tree of China and northern India. 



342. Flavors and Perfumes. — These are usually in the 

 form of extracts from flowers, fruits, leaves, or other parts of 

 plants. Very commonly the extract is obtained by distilling 

 the plant parts with water. Some, such as orange and lemon 

 oils, are simply pressed — in these cases from the rind of the 

 fruit. Some flower extracts are obtained by a process of 



