Mr Marshall on Cinnamon. 31 



Ath, Clove-oil. — The mature leaves of the cinnamon-tree yield, by dis- 

 tillation, an essential oil, -which greatly resembles the oil of cloves, and 

 for which it may perhaps be substituted. 



6th, Camphor. — This substance may be obtained from the bark of the 

 roots of the Laurus cinnamomum ; but the roots of the Laurus camphora, 

 which it is said grows in Ceylon, yield it in a much greater quantity. 



By decoction, tlie ripe berries yield an inodorous substance resembling 

 suet, which is seldom extracted, and rarely applied to any useful purpose. 

 Until the year 1833, the preparation and trade of cinnamon in Ccj'lon 

 was monopolized by Government. All the trees in the colony were pub- 

 lic property ; and persons who were discovered uprooting trees, or cut- 

 ting cinnamon, even in their own grounds, were liable to the penalty of 

 transportation. But since the 9th March 1833, "all restrictions and pro- 

 hibitions against the cultivation, possession, or sale of cinnamon by private 

 individuals," have ceased ; and consequently, any person may now plant 

 cinnamon trees on his own grounds, prepare the bark, and vend or export 

 the produce at pleasure, upon paying the requisite export duties. 



Cassia. — We are still, it appears, much in the dark with regard to the 

 tree or trees which supply the aromatic bark of commerce usually de- 

 nominated Cassia, and it is sincerely hoped Dr Wight will direct his at- 

 tention to the investigation of that interesting subject, being a highly 

 important one, not only in a botanical, but in a commercial point of view. 

 The cassia of commerce, which is chiefly imported from Canton, difltei-s 

 from Ceylon cinnamon, inasmuch as it is made up into small parcels of 

 two or three pounds weight, about eighteen inches long, and is usually 

 imported in boxes. Neither the plant which produces Canton cassia, nor 

 the place where it grows, seem to be specifically known. 



The words cinnamon imd cassia were, very early in the history of man- 

 kind, employed to designate either two diflerent substances or different 

 qualities of the produce of the same tree. They are both mentioned in 

 Exod. XXX. 23, 25. 



The cinnamon-tree is a native of a tropical climate, and the prepared 

 bark was probably convej^ed to Palestine from the places where it grew, by 

 means of Phoenician mercliants (Genesis xxxvii. 25, and Ezek. xxvii. 19). 

 Herodotus informs us, that the word kinnamon was adopted by the Greeks 

 from the Phoenicians, and in all likelihood the Hebrew term kinncmon or 

 kunain has a similar origin. The country which produces an article of com- 

 merce, very generally gives it the name which it obtains in other parts of 

 the world; hence we must look to the language of a country which pro- 

 duces cinnamon for the origin of the terms that are emploj'cd to desig- 

 nate it by consumers. In tlic Malay language, cinnamon is designated 

 by the words laa/n 7nanis (sweet wood), from which the Hebrew and 

 Greek names of tliis spice may have been derived, the cinnamon-tree being 

 found in great abundance in the Malay islands. Kannema, signifying 

 Rweet wood, is the Malabar name of this spice. In the Persian language 

 it is called hinnamou, and in some parts of India it is known by the ap- 



