(99) 



larger percentage. The tannin cures and toughens the 

 skin, but other effects are required to produce the best 

 quality of leather, especially that of "filling" the minute 

 cavities. For this purpose, white-oak bark seems to be 

 preeminent and this continues to be the most valued tanning 

 substance. It has become scarce and costly, and "oak 

 leather" now brings the highest prices. The tannins are 

 represented by saw-palmetto, mangrove, pine, hemlock, 

 sumac and by other products. The crude materials of the 

 mangrove and the saw-palmetto are accompanied by their 

 fluid extracts, which contain the tannic acid, and also by 

 the spent material or refuse which remains after the extract 

 has been made. This latter material may be used for other 

 purposes. 



Flavoring Agents, Spices, and Condiments. Cases 48-51. 

 — The term "flavoring agent" is applied to any substance 

 used to impart an added agreeable flavor to anything in- 

 tended to be taken into the stomach through the mouth, 

 or to remove or cover a disagreeable flavor in such a sub- 

 stance, as for instance a disagreeable medicine. The term 

 "spice" is applied to a flavoring agent which possesses an 

 aromatic and more or less pungent quality, such as anise, 

 caraway, or cinnamon. By the term "condiment" is 

 usually understood one of the more powerful agents of 

 the preceding group, such as pepper, capsicum, mustard, 

 or horseradish. Condiments do something more than to 

 impart a flavor to the food. They act strongly on the 

 nerve of taste, stimulating it to a keener sense of the 

 natural flavor of the food. They also tend to affect the 

 appetite and, when properly used, often to increase the 

 digestive activity. All of these groups are liberally repre- 

 sented in these cases. 



Waxes. Case 52. — Waxes are plant exudations, related 

 chemically to the oils. Although they are produced by 

 many plants, this product is usually so small that their 

 collection is not practicable. In this way, they exist 

 upon the surface of such fruits as grapes, plums, and some 



