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Adulterations (Pepper is adulterated)

Pepper is adulterated with ground rice, mustard, sweepings of warerooms, etc., and even the berries are counterfeited by a mixture of oil cake, clay and cayenne. The only safety in buying ground pepper is in the integrity of the firms who manufacture it.

XIV. Cinnamon-How to Know It Pure.

THE botanical name of the true cinnamon is Cinnamomum Zeylanicum, (a species of the laurel family) a tropical tree reaching a height of thirty feet, and cultivated in many countries. Ceylon has long been noted for the excellence of its cinnamon, but commerce has been largely supplied from the West Indies and South America, and there is much inferior bark sold as the genuine article. It is prepared by stripping the bark from the branches, when it naturally rolls up into quills, the smaller of which are introduced into the larger, and then dried in the sun. Good cinnamon is known by the thinness of the bark; as a rule, the thinner and more pliable, the finer the quality. When it is broken the fracture is splintery. It is largely used as a condiment for its pleasant flavor, and its astringent and cordial properties give it a value as a medicine.

Cassia. This is the bark of Cinnamomum cassia, a tree growing forty to fifty feet in height, cultivated to a considerable extent in China, the Philippine Islands, the western coast of Africa, and in Brazil. The China cassia is considered superior in perfume and flavor to any spice of its class. This bark resembles the true cinnamon, but is thicker, coarser, and not so delicate in flavor, but being cheaper is frequently used to adulterate the true article. For confectionary purposes this affords a stronger flavor than cinnamon, and is therefore preferred. The bark is collected and prepared as for cinnamon. Cassia bark is distinguished from cinnamon by being more brittle, and of less fibrous texture; it is not so pungent, and has more of a mucilaginous or gelatinous quality.

XVI. Cloves and Allspice.