210

PEPPER.

After the operation is finished, and the cover, n, is removed, the drum is emptied ofits contents, as follo-ws. Upon the axle, t, there is toward k a projection at «. Along-side the furnace {fig. 114) there is a crane, m, that turns upon the step s, s, on theground. The upper pivot turns in a hole of the mantel-beam, n. Upon the perpen-dicular arm, w, of the crane there is a hook, y, and a ring, q , in which the iron rod, piis moveable in.all directions. When the drum is to he removed from the furnace, thecrane, with its arm, w, must be turned inward, the under hook of the rod, p. is to hehung in the- projecting piece, u, and the rod, l, is lifted entirely out. After this, bymeans of the crane, the drum can be drawn with its rod, t, out of the furnace; a n “through the mobility of the crane, and its parts, p, q, any desired position can be givento the drum. Fig. 114, shows how the workman can with his hand applied to s' de-press the axle, t , and thereby raise the drum, k, so high that it will empty itself 'intothe pot, l, placed beneath. When left to itself, the drum on the contrary hangs nearlyupright upon the crane by means of the rod, p, and may therefore be easily fiU e “again in this position. The manner of bringing it into the proper position in thefurnace by means of the crane and the rod, l, is obvious from fig. 115.

The now well-rounded beads are separated from the pulverulent substance withwhich they were mixed, by careful agitation in sieves ; and they are polished finalfttand cleaned by agitation in canvass-bags. -

PENS, STEEL. When these have been punched out. of the softened sheet ™steel'by the appropriate tool, fashioned into the desired form, and hardened by ignitj 0 ®in an oven, and sudden quenching with cold water, they are best tempered by bein»heated to the requisite spring elasticity in an oil bath. The heat of this hath is usualftjudged of by the appearance to the eye; but this point should be correctly determined b)a thermometer, according to the scale (see Steel in the Dictionary ) ; and then tbpens would acquire a definite degree of flexibility or stiffness, adapted to the wants anwishes of the consumers. They are at present tempered too often at random. .

PEPPER. The unripe grains or corns are known under the name of bl aC _

pepper; the ripe ones, deprived of their epidermis, constitute white pepper.

Th e

lie UtjHlVCU bllCll llilOj VsUlli) hi l U bC i • .«

latter are very generally bleached by steeping for a little while in a solution of chloP (of lime, subsequent washing and drying; a process which improves their aspect, bnot their flavor. I was recently led to examine the nature of this substance sow ^what minutely, from being called professionally to investigate a sample of g roU ® rwhite pepper belonging to an eminent spice-house in the city of London , which pepP ,had been seized by the Excise on the charge of its being adulterated, or mixed Wsome foreign matter, contrary to law. I made a comparative analysis of that pepP ^and ,of genuine white pepper-corns, and found both to afford like results : viz. ingrains, a trace of volatile oil, in which the aroma chiefly resides; about 8| grains opungent resin, containing a small fraction of a grain of piperine; about CO S rains 0 i(lstarch, with a little gum, and nearly 30 grains of matter insoluble in hot and a . gewater, which may be reckoned lignine. The two chemists in the service of the L* j emade oath before the court of judicature, that the said pqpper contained a no a ^ (proportion of sago, even to the amount of fully 10 per cent.; grounding their judgn*^upon the appearance of certain rounded particles in the pepper, and of the deepcolor which tjiese assumed when moistened with iodine water. No allegation c a

be more frivolous. Bruised corns of genuine white pepper certainly acquire as dtint with iodine as any species of starch whatever. But the characters ‘“ s ,optical and chemical, are so peculiar, as to render the above surmise no l? ss f Pe a j,le.terous, tluS the prosecution of respectable merchants, for such a cause, was unjusti ^A particle of sago appears in the microscope, by reflected light, to be a sph e J a „petsnow, studded round with brilliants; whereas the rounded particles of the seized Psdem to be amorphous bits of gray clay, Had the pepper been adulterated wit ^ e;a quantity of sago, or anything else, as was alleged, it could not have an 01 e nper-by digestion in alcohol, as much of the spicy essence as the bruised genuine pcorns did. . ; n to a

Moreover, sago, steeped for a short time in cold water, swells and sol ten . Qn j npulpy consistence, whereas the particles of the seized pepper, rounded peing

SagO)

pearled by heat(na U aufl 6 , circum ^ an « es > «>eir hardness and dimensions.iron or other elates S ie ® ne starc h of the sago palm in a damp state? -P t

ron or other plates, acquires its peculiar, somewhat loose a°-gre"ation and brilli* 0 ,

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