Of course, the above prices are standard for the year when the comparison was made, but it is well to examine the figures as given and compare the price of the whole spice with the ground. Such comparison affords good indications of the extent of adulteration, since the meal is sold below the cost of the whole spice. We now find this article put up in barrels, as “P. D. Pepper,” “P. D. Ginger,” “P. D. Cloves,” and so on through the entire aromatic list. Different cities use different material for their pepper dust, using that which is most easily and, therefore, most cheaply obtained in their locality. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration: Fig. 20. _Capsicum_ Fig. 38. LINSEED Fig. 39. PALM SEED Fig. 40. EXTERIOR HUSK OF RAPE SEED Fig. 44. PURE CAYENNE PEPPER Fig. 45. CAYENNE PEPPER, ADULTERATED] CHAPTER III HOW TO DETECT ADULTERATIONS IN SPICES—THEIR FORMATION AND ANALYSIS AS far as its practical use to the merchant or consumer of spices is concerned, it would be as well, perhaps, if this chapter remained unwritten, and yet this treatise would be far from complete without it, as much of that which is herein contained is of the utmost importance, could it be put into practice. In this chapter I attempt to give ways to detect adulterations, but the lamentable fact is that the general merchants have neither the time nor the facilities at hand to discover the foreign substance. There are two principal ways of detecting adulterations in spices, which depend upon the difference in the structure of the cells between the adulterants and the true spice to which they are added, and also on their proximate composition. The former difference is recognized by the mechanical separation and by the use of the microscope, and the latter by chemical analysis. The adulterations found in spices may be classed in four grades: _First._ Integuments of grains of seeds, such as bran of wheat and buckwheat, hulls of mustard seed, flax seed, etc. _Second._ Farinaceous substances of low price, as spice damaged in transportation or by long storage, middlings, corn meal, and stale ship bread. _Third._ Leguminous seeds, as peas and beans, which contribute largely to the profit of the mixer. _Fourth._ Various articles chosen with reference to their suitableness to bring up the mixtures, as nearly as possible, to the required standard color of the genuine article; various shades from light colors to dark brown may be obtained by skillful roasting of the farinaceous and leguminous substances, and a little tumeric goes a long way to give a rich yellow color to real mustard made from pale counterfeit of wheat flour and terra-alba, or the defective paleness of artificial black pepper is brought to the desired tone by judicious sifting in of a finely pulverized charcoal.