78  Examination  of  Commercial  Peppers.  {AFebruarVTi904m' 
to  thirteen  lines  are  observed  running  from  base  to  apex.  The  speck 
at  the  base  is  not  easily  seen  ;  only  after  cleaning  the  grain  can  it  in 
most  cases  be  observed.  The  cavity  is  about  2  mm.  in  diameter, 
and  is  surrounded  by  a  mealy  portion,  which  is  about  one-fifth 
of  the  whole  diameter;  the  remaining  portion  is  of  a  greenish 
color  and  translucent.  Diameter  2-5  mm.  Three  samples  were 
examined. 
No.  Ash.      Ether  Extract.       Piperin.  Oleoresin. 
1  2*1  7*04  574  1-30 
2  ....    c  2'8  7'20  676  "44 
3  2-6  6  80  5  83  -97 
Average,  ash,  2'38-j-;  ether  extract,  7*014-;  piperin,  6,n;  oleo-resin,  '93-}-. 
Color  of  ether  extract,  yellow. 
Decorticated  White  Pepper. — The  color  is  yellowish  ;  the  grains 
have  a  smooth,  shiny  surface  and  appearance,  but  no  outside  cover- 
ing,  consisting  of  the  perisperm  alone.  Some  of  the  grains  have  a 
little  of  the  reddish-brown  testa  adhering,  but  not  many.  Broken 
pieces  of  perisperm  are  present  in  from  5-10  per  cent.  ;  that  is,  in 
that  sold  for  whole  white  pepper.  There  is  on  the  market  what  is 
known  as  broken  decorticated  white  pepper.  The  central  cavity  is 
about  1-6  mm.  in  diameter,  and  is  surrounded  by  a  mealy  portion, 
which  constitutes  about  one-tenth  of  the  whole  grain  ;  the  other 
portion  is  of  a  yellowish  color  and  does  not  appear  clear  as  in  the 
other  white  peppers.  The  grains  are  smaller  than  the  other  white 
peppers,  being  about  3-4  mm.  in  diameter,  and  do  not  vary  much. 
No  lines  are  observed  in  this  pepper  ;  a  small  hole  is  at  the  base, 
looking  as  if  pricked  with  a  needle.    Three  samples  were  examined. 
No.  Ash.      Ether  Extract.      Piperin.  Oleo-resin. 
1   1 '9  7'64  6-25  ;  1*39 
2   "8  6'6o  6*30  '30 
3   1  "2  7*26  7*o2  '24 
Average,  ash,  1*3;  ether  extract,  7"i6-f-;  piperin,  6*51+;  oleo-resin,  '644-. 
Color  of  ether  extract,  yellow. 
The  hull  is  that  portion  ot  the  grain  known  as  the  sarcocarp, 
which  is  removed  in  making  white  pepper  and  is  sold  as  such.  It 
varies  in  color  from  light  brown  to  a  dark  brown.  It  has  a  pungent 
odor  and  taste,  although  sharper  than  when  ground  with  the  peri- 
sperm. The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  analysis  of  several  lots 
of  hulls  imported  into  this  country. 
