24 ON THE ORIGIN OF CASSIA LIGNEA. 
country a set of the implements, which are deposited in the Kew 
Museum. 
* Bark.—When the trees are about six years old, the first cut 
of bark is obtained. The season for barking commences in March 
and continues until the end of May, after which the natives say 
the bark loses its aroma, and is therefore not removed from the 
trees. The branches, which are about an inch thick, being cut 
to within a few inches of the ground, are carried to houses or 
sheds in the vicinity of the plantations. All the small twigs and 
leaves being cleared off, a large-bladed knife, with the cutting- 
edge something like the end of a budding knife, is used to make 
two longitudinal slits and three or four incisions, at sixteen 
inches apart, round the circumference through the bark; the 
bark is then loosened by passing underneath it a kind of slightly 
curved horn knife with the two edges slightly sharpened. Pieces 
of bark sixteen inches long and half the circumference are thus 
obtained. 
“The bark, after its removal and while it is still moist with 
sap, is then laid with the concave side downwards, and a small 
plane passed over it, and the epidermis removed. After this 
operation the bark is left to dry for about twenty-four hours, and 
then tied up in bundles about eighteen inches in diameter, and 
sent into the merchants' houses in the market-towns. 
* Leaves.—The leaves which are cleared from the branches 
that are barked are carefully preserved and dried, and afford by 
distillation Cassia oil. A large quantity of leaves are sent to 
Canton, where I was told the operation of distilling is performed. 
“ Twigs—These are removed from the cut branches at the 
same time as when the leaves are obtained. They are a market- 
able commodity for native uses. 
* Buds.—Cassia-buds are the immature fruits. They are 
gathered when about one-eighth grown.  Buds, and the seeds 
which are annually required for sowing, are obtained from trees 
ten years and upwards of age that are left standing at about fifty 
and a hundred feet apart amongst the trees which are cut down 
every six years for their bark. These seed-bearing trees are not 
cut, unless there is a demand for the very thick bark on their 
trunks, when some of the trees which can be conveniently spared 
are sacrificed." 
