28 Mr Marshall on Cinnamon. 



grows in such abundance as in Ceylon, but even in tbis island it is nearly 

 confincd to the soutb-west quarter. In tbe otber parts of the island it is 

 comparatively rave, and the bark is deficient in the spicy aromatic flavour 

 which it possesses in that which has been called the " Cinnamon country." 

 The cinnamon-tree thrives best in a rich light dry soil, and some degree 

 of shelter from the ardent rays of the sun seems to be beneficial to it. 

 Cinnamon-trees grow, or rather live, in nearly quartz sand, but they yield 

 little cinnamon in this soil, the bark being rough and imhealthy, as is the 

 casein the more sandy parts of the Marendahn plantation, near Colombo. 



The Laurus Cassia of Linneeus, which abounds in Ceylon, has not an 

 aromatic bark, and consequently this plant does not furnish the Cassia 

 of commerce. It would serve no good purpose to enumerate the bo- 

 tanists who have been mistaken upon this point; Dr Wight having borne 

 ample evidence of the accuracy of Mr Marshall's statement in this respect. 



There arc four plantations of cinnamon in the vicinity of Colombo, 

 consisting altogether of from eight to ten thousand acres, which aflx)rd a 

 large portion of the cinnamon that is exported from the island, but a con- 

 siderable quantity is also procured from the jungles (natural woods), both 

 in the provinces on the coast, and in the interior or Kandyan country. 

 The principal products of the cinnamon-tree are — 



lit, Cussia-bud.i. The cassia-bud of commerce is probably the imma- 

 ture fruit, and the fleshy receptacle of the seed, of the cinnamon-tree. 

 The prepared buds have the appearance of nails with roundish heads, 

 and possess the same properties as cinnamon, but in an inferior degree. 

 Cassia, or more properly cinnamon buds, have not hitherto been an article 

 of export from Cej-lon, where thej' might be collected in great quantities. 

 In 1816, Mr Marshall prepared about 100 lb. weight of these buds at Co- 

 lombo, which were sent home by the late Sir Robert Brownrigg, for the 

 purpose of drawing the attention of Government to this article of commerce, 

 it being quite new, in as far as Ceylon was concerned, for it docs not ap- 

 pear that the Dutch prepared them during their occupation of the island. 



2d, Cinnamon. This highly esteemed spice is the prepared bark of the 

 cinnamon-tree. The cinnamon harvest commences in Ceylon early in 

 the month of May, and continues until late in October. Shoots having 

 a diameter of from half an inch to three inches, yield better cinnamon 

 than cither smaller or larger shoots or branches. The shoots are peeled by 

 making two or three iongltudinal incisions through the bark, and then intro- 

 ducing a knife under the bark, and thereby separating it from the wood. 



The green cuticle, or outer bark, is scraped off from the inner, which, 

 after being carefully dried, becomes the cinnamon of commerce. The 

 Ceylon cinnamon is commonly formed by the union of pieces of bark 

 while still soft, into qiiills or pipes .about forty inches in length. Great 

 care is taken to prevent the cinnamon which is exported from being 

 mixed with the bark of other trees, or with injured bark of cinnamon 

 shoots. There is considerable diflcrence in the quality of cinnamon, 

 which is probably occasioned bj' varieties in the climate, soil, or expo- 

 ;-urc in which the plant jrrows, the age and health of the tree, and partly 



