Dr. R. Wight o/i the Laurus Cassia of Linnceus. 179 



and died, and in lassoing one to fill the place of the latter, one 

 of its legs was broken ; so that three beasts were lost. 



On reaching Ponto Morgues, 21 miles from Buenos A3rres5 

 I took a horse and left the Tropa, which did not get to town 

 till 5 days after/ so bad are the roads close to the great metro- 

 polis of the Argentine Republic. I made my way home that 

 very night that I left the carts, 7 months after setting out, and 

 so much w'as I disfigured wdth the effects of weather and sun, 

 to say nothing of dirty and tattered garments, that several of 

 my old acquaintances did not know me. 



Thus I have given a detail of my pleasure trip across the 

 vast plains of Buenos Ayres, a journey during which I may 

 say that I have travelled on my own feet nearly 2000 miles, 

 viz. from the Rio Segero on the N.E. to the foot of the Cor- 

 dillera on the N.W., and seen, said, and done many things, 

 with which it w^ould be superfluous and impertinent to trouble 

 you. 



XVIII. — On the Laurus Cassia of Linnceus, and the Plants 

 producing the Cassia Bark of Commerce. By Robert 

 Wight, M.D.* 



My attention was first directed to this subject by a commu- 

 nication from Government, in w^hich I am requested to en- 

 deavour to ascertain "whether the common Cassia Bark of the 

 markets of the w^orld is a thicker and coarser portion of the 

 bark of the genuine cinnamon plant or tree, or whether it is 

 the bark of a plant not analogous to the cinnamon plant or 

 tree.'' 



Before it w^as possible to return a satisfactory answer to this 

 question, it seemed incumbent on me to ascertain what plant 

 Linnaeus meant to designate under the name of Laurus Cassia^ 

 and whether it was probable the plant so called could supply 

 all the bark passing under that name in the markets of the 

 world. This primary, but most difficult inquiry was rendered 

 indispensable by the, generally supposed, ridiculous assertion 

 of Mr. Marshall, that the leaves, and the bark of the trunk and 

 branches of the Laurus Cassia of Linnaeus, so far from being 



» From the Madras Journal of Literature and Science, 1839. No. 22. 



o 2 



