CASSIA BARK 229 



CASSIA BARK OR CASSIA LIQNEA 



The most valued Chinese cassia bark approaches 

 nearly to cinnamon from Ceylon^ It is sold in 

 simple quills, not inserted one within the other. They 

 are less straight, even, and regular, and darker brown, and 

 though some are extremely thin, others are much stouter 

 than fine cinnamon. In fact, it is less uniform. The 

 outer coat is removed with less care. It is imported 

 in small bundles about 1 ft. in length and 1 Ib. in weight, 

 the pieces being bound together with bits of bamboo. 



Good cassia has the flavour of cinnamon, and is as 

 sweet and aromatic, though it is often described as less 

 fine and delicate in flavour. It is probable that by 

 more careful preparation and selection, after the methods 

 in use in the cultivation of cinnamon by the Ceylon 

 planters, a form of cassia might be turned out which 

 would be nearly or quite as good as true cinnamon. 

 The plant might be cultivated in many places where 

 cinnamon would not be satisfactory, as it seems to be 

 less particular as to soil and climate. The returns of 

 trade show that there is a good demand for it, though 

 at the same time this is probably due to its being 

 cheaper than the finely turned out Ceylon cinnamon, 

 for it appears to be chiefly used as a substitute for the 

 latter. 



CULTIVATION 



Mr. Ford gives the area of cultivation as follows : 



There are three chief districts where the cassia is cultivated, 

 viz.: Taiwa, Lat. 23 34' N. and Long. 110 18' E., in the 

 Kwangsi province; Lukpo, in Lat. 23 6' N. and Long. 112 

 24' E. ; and Loting, Lat. 22 51' K and Long. 111 8' E., both 

 in Kwantung province. These are the market towns of the 

 district, but the cassia is cultivated over a large area of country, 

 stretching to considerable distances from the town. 



The cultivation was found to be very extensive, 

 especially at Loting, where one of the largest cultivators 

 said there were about 1,000,000 maus (about 52,600 



