Food Adulteration

[Fiorn the New York Evenüig Post.] Prof. S. P. Sharples, the State Assayer of Massachusetts, is maldng some analyses of articles of food which are resulting in interesting disclosures. Package coffee has engaged his attention, 3ut he has found very few traces of the aerry itself. Thus, ' ' Hayward & Co. 's French breakfast coö'ee," the label of which sets forth tïmt only three-quar;ers as much of it need be uscd as would je required if ordinary coffee was emDloyed, is found to contain no coffee at ill, but to be made of ground peas, jurned molasses and "an occasional grain of rye." A package of "Pure oasted and ground Cape coffee" was 'ound to be made wholly of peas and nutshells, the latter floating when the mixture was put into water. A package of "Kimball's ñrst quality Mocha and Java coffee" also contained no coffee at all, but was made of peas and rye. ' Glines' extra quality. French coffee" was almost destitute of any foreign substance, peas and rye predominating, with a few oats. "Chase's English break'ast coffee" is a large consumer of peas, lie traces of coffee being so slight that ;he assayer pronounces them accidental, ïappily the analyses have not disclosed ihe presence of any positively injurious substances, andif people, who can easily ind out the cost of a pound of green coffee, expect to buy a like quantity roasted and ground for half the price, liey deserve to drink weak pea soup. ?or detecting adulterations the followng rules are given : " Take some cold water in a glass and ihrow upon it about half a teaspoonful of the coffee to be tested, stirring it around so as to wet the grains. Pure coffee will float, and scarcely colors the water. Beans and chicory sink to the jottom. Chicory colors the water at once, beans more slowly. Test the part ;hat floats by chewing it. Coffee will ilins be recognized by its taste. Nut shells, which also float, are hard and crittle. A species of nut which has latey come into use strongly resembles cof:'ee when ground up, by floating on the water as well as by its feeling between ;he teeth; but the difference ean easily oe detected, because the adulterating ingrediënt is nearly tasteless. After subecting the suspected artiole to the above ;est spread some of it out on a sheet of paper and examine it carefully for grains of rye, oats and peas. The pea ingrediënt will i'requently be found in pieces one-eighth the size of a pea, and the rye in half grains. Chicory is tough when taken behveen the teeth, and has a bitter taste, different from the bitter of coffee." Another article wïnch the Massachusetts assayer has been looking into is cream of tartar in packages. Much of it oontains no cream of tartar at all, but is composed of acid phosphate of lime, starch and gypsum.