Am.  Jour.  Pharm.l 
February,  1898.  J 
In  the  Land  of  Ginger. 
79 
any  complete  analysis,  and  it  was  found  that  a  macroscopic  exami- 
nation by  expert  judges  was  far  more  reliable  than  any  assay  that 
could  be  made  with  limited  facilities  present  in  the  ginger  fields. 
A  few  such  examinations  were  made  as  follows : 
Ethereal  Extract. — Exhaustion  of  the  ginger  with  ether  in  a  Soxh. 
let  extraction  apparatus.  The  resultant  extract,  after  evaporation  of 
the  ether,  was  dried  over  sulphuric  acid  to  remove  moisture.  From 
this  extract  the  volatile  oil  was  calculated  by  the  loss  on  drying  the 
ethereal  extract  at  no°  C.  for  three  hours.  The  only  results  from 
this  process  that  seemed  to  be  of  value  were  that  the  finer  grades, 
when  carefully  dried,  contained  a  higher  percentage  of  volatile  oil. 
Ginger  dried  without  removing  the  peel  gave  somewhat  higher 
results  as  to  volatile  oils  than  the  peeled.  The  loss  of  this  con- 
stituent was  greater  in  a  product  dried  by  artificial  heat  than  when 
dried  by  sun.  The  amount  of  volatile  oil  found  by  aforesaid  pro- 
cess was,  lowest,  I  per  cent.;  highest,  3-20  per  cent.  The  results  as 
to  ethereal  extract,  exclusive  of  volatile  oil  or  from  alcoholic  extract 
from  the  ether-exhausted  residue,  seemed  to  be  of  little  value,  the 
different  specimens  giving  such  greatly  changing  amounts  as  to 
afford  no  guide. 
In  these  experiments  some  observations  were  made  that  were 
interesting,  though  of  no  particular  value.  In  the  extracts  from 
ratoon  ginger  there  was  evidently  a  more  fiery  taste  and  less  flavor 
than  in  the  planted  ginger.  This  was  also  true  in  regard  to  the 
extracts  from  the  blue  and  yellow  varieties,  the  yellow  having  a 
much  finer  odor  and  taste.  Upon  the  addition  of  water  to  these 
extracts  in  sufficient  amounts  to  precipitate  the  dissolved  resins,  it 
was  observed  that  in  the  case  of  the  well-cured  specimens  of  plant 
ginger  a  delightful  aroma  was  imparted  to  the  water,  a  true  ginger 
flavor,  without  fire  or  pungency.  But  in  *  extracts  from  old 
ratoon  ginger,  from  mildewed  specimens  spoiled  in  drying,  this 
aroma  was  greatly  changed,  becoming  musty  and  weak,  the  taste  in 
some  instances  being  decidedly  bitter.  Ninety-five  per  cent,  alcohol 
was  found  to  give  better  results  as  to  flavor  of  extract  than  that 
of  lower  strength. 
MOVING  TO  GINGER  MARKET. 
When  the  native  tropical  sun  has  fully  dried  the  ginger  crop,  it 
is  stored  in  heaps  for  market  day.    By  unchangeable  Ginger  Land 
