We are afraid, if we look into the sugar-basin, we shall not find much more comfort than in the milk-jug. We refer here to the ordinary brown sugars, such as are generally used at the breakfast-table for coffee. It is scarcely possible to procure moist sugar which is not infested with animalculæ of the acari genus, a most disgusting class of creatures. In many samples of sugars they swarm to that extent that the mass moves with them; and in almost every case, by dissolving a spoonful in a wine-glass of water, dozens of them can be detected by the naked eye, either floating upon the liquid or adhering to the edge of the glass. Those who are in the habit of "handling" sugars, as it is termed, are liable to a skin affection called the grocer's itch, which is believed to be occasioned by these living inhabitants of our sugar-basins. Horrible as it is to think that such creatures are an article in daily use, we cannot charge the grocer directly with their introduction; the evil is, however, increased by the manner in which he mixes, or "handles," as it is termed in the trade, higher-priced sugars with muscovados, bastards, and other inferior kinds, in which the animalculæ abound.
In addition to this foreign animal element, grocers sometimes mix flour with their sugar, and, if we are to put any credit in popular belief, sand; but of the presence of this gritty ingredient we have never seen any trustworthy evidence. Nevertheless we have said enough to show that the tea-dealer and grocer do their best to supply the proverbial "peck of dirt" which all of us must eat before we die. Would that we were fed with nothing more deleterious or repulsive! Let us see, however, the base admixtures one is liable to swallow in taking--
If Green-- Prussian-blue. Turmeric. China clay or French chalk. Used tea-leaves. Copperas. If Black-- Gum. Black lead. Dutch pink. Used tea-leaves. Leaves of the ash, sloe, hawthorn, and of many other kinds.
On an average 25 per cent. of water. Annatto. Treacle. Flour. Oxide of iron. And other unknown ingredients.
If Brown-- Wheat flour. Hundreds of the sugar-insect. If White-- Albumen of bullock's blood.
Roast wheat. " acorn. " mangold-wurzel. " beans. " carrots. " parsnips " lupin-seeds. " dog-biscuits. " horse-chestnuts. Oxide of iron. Mahogany sawdust. Baked horse's liver. " bullock's liver.