VII 



CASSIA BARK 233 



The oil somewhat resembles cinnamon oil, but has 

 a less pleasant taste. 



It is exported to London from the south of China, 

 to the extent of 47,517 Ibs. in 1869; in 1870, 28,389 Ibs. 

 was exported there. 



Hamburg also takes much of this oil ; thus in 1895 

 that port received 30,000 Ibs. from China and 10,000 

 Ibs. from England; and in 1896, 3,900 Ibs. from China 

 and 17,000 Ibs. from England. 1 



CASSIA BUDS 



These are the dried unripe fruits of the Chinese 

 Cassia. After flowering the sepals of the cinnamons 

 swell up and form a cup in which the small, black, olive- 

 ]ike fruit sits, like an acorn in the cup. These are what. 

 I presume, Cay la, previously quoted, refers to as flowers, 

 as the real flowers are too small to be separated for 

 distilling. The " buds " are taken from the Chinese 

 tree when comparatively young ; in the Malayan cassias 

 when adult. 



They are used in confectionery in place of cinnamon, 

 and, according to Dr. Masters, in the Treasury of Botany, 

 the Germans and Russians prefer cassia to cinnamon 

 for flavouring chocolate, as it is stronger in taste. 



Simmonds's Tropical Agriculture states that the 

 average quantity of cassia buds imported in the thirteen 

 years ending in 1842, was 4,023 Ibs., and the consump- 

 tion about 6,700 Ibs. 



He gives the following data of imports : 



Ibs. Value. 



1867 .... 7,355 467 



1868 .... 50,676 3,565 



1869 . . ... 38,861 3,000 



1870 . . 29,321 2,226 



No later returns are procurable. 



The earlier exports from China were larger, but 

 decreased. Rondot gives them as 53,333 Ibs. in 1848, 

 31,066 Ibs. in 1866, 22,000 Ibs. in 1867. 



1 Fliickiger and Hanbury, Pharmacographia, p. 532. 



