216  ON    THE  KINDS  OF  RHUBARB  IN  RUSSIAN  COMMERCE. 
1.  Moscovitic  Rhubarb.* — Caudex  from  9  ounces  to  6  drachms, 
packed  in  chests  of  200  lbs.  each  ;  partly  entire,  or  divided  into 
two  halves  by  one  longitudinal  or  transverse  cut,  or  rarely  the 
larger  roots  divided  into  four  parts  by  one  length  and  one  cross- 
cut, this  latter  at  one  time  highly  valued  in  England  under  the 
name  of  hoof  rhubarb.  Color  on  the  surface  purely  ochre  yel- 
low. They  are  mostly  perforated  by  a  hole  frequently  contain- 
ing traces  of  the  rope  by  which  they  were  suspended  while  dry- 
ing ;  most  pieces  are  penetrated  to  about  the  centre  by  what  is 
called  a  borehole  made  by  the  examiner  with  a  knife  for  the  pur- 
pose of  examining  the  roots  for  bad  spots.  The  roots  are  en- 
tirely peeled  and  free  from  bark  and  cambium.  The  surface  is 
smooth  and  covered  with  an  extremely  fine  powder,  evidently 
from  the  attrition  of  the  dried  pieces  during  transportation. 
The  average  size,  of  the  uncut  roots  is  6  inches  in  length  and  2\ 
inches  greatest  thickness  ;  their  shape  is  oblong-oval.  The  texture 
is  compact,  the  so-called  pulverulent  ring  (of  Berg)  is  little  or 
not  observable ;  inside  and  outside  of  the  same,  the  several  ra- 
diating circles  are  regularly  formed,  often  several  such  systems 
running  together ;  the  medullary  rays  are  usually  present  in 
more  than  two  rows  beside  and  above  each  other  and  the  veins 
interlacing  each  other  on  the  surface  in  distinct  rhombic  forms. 
The  cells  are  roundish  oval,  tinged  with  a  brownish  red,  yel- 
lowish red,  greyish  brown  or  bluish  grey  coloring  matter,  which 
is  readily  soluble  in  water,  less  and  more  slowly  in  glycerin.  In 
specimens  richest  in  oxalate  of  lime,  the  amount  of  starch  is 
very  insignificant  in  the  centre,  somewhat  larger  toward  the 
circumference.  The  clusters  of  oxalate  of  lime  are  radiating. 
Intermixed  are  found  a  small  number  of  pieces  approaching  the 
North-  and  South-Chinese  rhubarb. 
2.  North- Chinese  Rhubarb  comes  to  Russia  by  several  routes, 
*  Russian  or  Turkey  rhubarb  is  the  synonymous  term  for  this  kind  in 
the  United  States.  Most  rhubarbs,  however,  formerly  sold  in  our  mar- 
kets under  this  name,  at  least  as  far  as  I  had  occasion  to  see  and  exam- 
ine, were  .base  imitations,  some  consisting  of  selected,  occasionally  even 
common  Chinese  rhubarb,  at  other  times,  in  my  judgment,  merely  of 
English  rhubarb.  The  same  is  true  of  what  is  even  now  still  offered  here, 
after  Russian  Rhubarb  has  for  several  years  disappeared  from  European 
commerce  and  is  rarely  met  with  except  in  collections.  J.  M.  M. 
