66 
ON  COMMERCIAL  JALAP. 
In  the  early  part  of  1861  a  lot  of  18  bales,  of  about  200  lbs. 
each,  arrived  in  this  market,  and  was  powdered  and  dispensed 
over  the  country,  containing  only  1*8  per  cent,  of  resin.  The 
tubers  were  fine  and  large,  of  good  bright  color,  good  odor,  a 
little  light  in  weight,  and  of  a  very  tough  consistence  and  starchy 
looking.  They  were  very  thoroughly  cut  in  the  direction  of  the 
long  diameter,  but  the  parts  not  separated,  and  still  the  drying 
appeared  imperfect.  No  fair  judge  of  jalap  would  have  bought 
this  lot  at  any  ordinary  price,  and  it  was  probably  sold  at  a  low 
price,  and  bought  on  speculation  by  one  or  more  houses  whose 
market  was  for  powdered  jalap,  and  near  to  the  consumers  who 
would  not  be  likely  to  be  over  critical.  This  lot  was  traced  to  a 
large  diug  mill,  and  there  lost  sight  of  because  it  made  a  very 
handsome  powder  not  distinguishable  from  better  grades. 
Later  in  the  same  year  a  lot  of  7  bales,  of  about  200  lbs.  each, 
inferior  in  appearance  to  the  last  lot,  came  consigned  to  a  large 
drug  house,  and  was  sold  for  powdering.  Much  of  this  looked 
unlike  jalap,  but  was  probably  the  rootlets,  and  this  portion  did 
not  appear  to  have  been  subjected  to  fraudulent  treatment.  This 
lot  yielded  2*22  per  cent,  of  resin,  all  of  which  appeared  to  be 
true  jalap  resin,  though  of  lighter  color  than  is  usual. 
In  the  early  part  of  1863  another  lot,  of  unknown  size,  but 
probably  not  very  large,  was  encountered,  looking  bright  and 
•well — indeed  much  too  clean  and  bright — tough  in  consistence, 
devoid  of  resinous  appearance,  and  light  in  weight.  This  con- 
tained 3-3  per  cent,  of  resin.    What  became  of  it  is  not  known. 
Within  the  past  three  months  a  lot  of  95  bales,  25  of  which 
are  said  to  have  been  re-shipped  to  France,  was  offered  by  broker's 
sample  in  this  market.  Although  recognized  at  first  sight 
as  true  jalap,  unmixed,  and  perhaps  not  far  out  of  the  common 
range  of  the  common  market,  there  was  yet  something  amiss 
about  it  to  the  practised  eye  which  first  saw  it  in  the  broker's 
hands.  It  was  tough  and  light,  too  starchy  looking,  and  had  too 
strong  a  jalap  odor.  To  the  writer's  less  experienced  judgment 
it  at  first  did  not  seem  to  be  much  out  of  the  way  in  appearance, 
but  upon  assay  it  proved  to  contain  about  8  per  cent,  of  resin. 
The  tubers  of  the  sample  were  sawed  in  two,  and  one-half  used 
for  assay.    The  other  half  is  presented  for  inspection  with  this 
