The Republican journal., 1881-05-19
VOLUME SO.
Adulterated Vinegar.

The adulteration of vinegar is carried
on to an extent unknown to most people,
who are thus not only cheated bat pois-
oned by one and the same act Those
who could palm of their adulterations
could never hope to succeed unless
they put their prices for vinegar below
those at which an honest article could be
afforded. The nameless composition,
whose cheap basis is molasses and water,
and into which go all sorts of elements,
with certain quantity Of sulphuric acid
to impart the tang, can be sold readily at
seven cents gallon and leave a profit to
the adulterating manufacturers where
as, if people would encourage dealers to
pay ten cents a gallon, they could get
pure cider vinegar and keep clear of the
pOiSOnS which are SO deleterous in their
action on the stomach and the system.
At ten cents per gallon, it will pay the
farmer to raise apples to make pure cider
vinegar; at seven cents per gallon, pe0-
pie may get their se-called vinegar at a
lower price, but they take risks which
soon become certaintleS of a highly iniu-
riouS character. This is, therefore, Il
question of public health, to begin with.
and of agricultural interest, also. There
would be use for all the orchards that
could be planted by the farmers, if cheap
and manufactured stuff called vinegar,
were once suppressed by law. 1t is due
to the public health that it be suppressed
and the advantage to the farmers will be
sure to follow. The report of the City
Inspector Of Vinegar, Horace l.. Bowher,
to the Board Of Aldermen, for the cur
rent year Just ending, shows that the
amount annually retaiIed in Boston, from
1900 places is 1900 gallons, not includ-
ING vinegar sold in bottles or used in
pickles and conseIVes.
Including what is exported also, some
three million gallons is annually sold and
used in Boston. Large and increasing
quantities Of vinegar and acid conserves
are annually imported from England and
elsewhere, owing mainly to their purity ::
the laws in England and France being
very severe as to the adulteration of vim
egar. and also being rigidly enforced
The names of many English manufacture
ers are better known here than are those
OF Oul own cOuntrymen. The inspector
explicitly states that unless we are more
ylgilant in protecting honest manufacture
ers from fraud and dishonest competition,
resulting from wholesale adulteration, We
must expect to see our citizens supplying
themselves with genuine articles of for
eign manufacture, to the great injury Of
our home industries and the ultimate de-
StrUctlOn OF our export trade. He also
believes that if our laws were us efficient
and thoroughly enforced against the sale
of adulIerated articles, as in England and
France, we could outrival any nation in
the world in the sale Of agricultural pro
ducts
Boston is situated in the centre OF a
large apple growing country: it should
have a reputation for the best products
OF the apple kind; yet the inspector tells
us that ten gallons Of artificial vinegar
are made and sold to one gallon OF genu-
Inc apple-cider vinegar. Pure cider vim
egar can he manufactured on a large
scale, according to his statement, for
twelve and half cents per gallon. The
average applc-rrop sufficient to furnish
all the demands for domestic use: but as
the case stands. not one fourth of the ap-
pies tit only for pressing are made into
vinegar, but millions of bushels are al
lowed IL rot on the ground for want Of Il
market Three barrels OF apple Juice
VIII make tWoot vinegar, or 4 little more.
The chief supply Of vinegar is now OBJ
tanned from molasses, glucose, acetic acid,
sour ale, lager beer distillers' slops, al
cohol, and AL other sorts. Mass. Plough
man.