VIII CINNAMON 193 



wood, and the whole of the epidermis, and the pulpy matter scraping oft" 



underneath it, is carefully scraped off with a curved knife, theepider- 



The knives sold for the purpose of reaping cocoa pods answer 



for this purpose very well. After the epidermis is removed 



the bark is put one in the other, cut in lengths of about 12 



inches or a little more, and placed on wicker work platforms 



in the shed until the second day when the drying is finished Drying 



in the sun. As the bark dries, it contracts and acquires the 



appearance of a quill— which is the name sometimes applied 



to it. When the spice is perfectly dry, it is made up into j^^^^^ 



bundles of about 30 lbs. each, and three bundles are made 



into a small bale which weighs between 90 and 100 lbs. The 



bark of the bigger and coarser shoots cannot be quilled, 



so it is removed in thick pieces ; and when mixed with the ^. 



^ ' Cinnamon 



bark of the prunings, and of those sticks that do not peel chips. 

 well, is known as ch'ps, which fetch a low price in the mar- 

 kets. Chips have not such a delicate flavour as quilled 

 cinnamon ; but what is wanting in delicacy is made up in 

 pungency, and, therefore, for some purposes this inferior 

 spice is preferred. In Ceylon, it is reckoned that the yield j^ 

 per acre is 150 lbs. of prepared cinnamon, but on good soil acre, 

 and with careful tillage and judicious manuring, larger re- 

 turns ought to be obtained. 



Oil. — Cinnamon oil is made by distillation from the bark 

 unfit for shipment, and from the leaves and other parts of 

 the plant. It varies much in character, some being ^ . , 



,. , , , . , Light and 



light, and some so heavy as to smk in water. The oil does heavy oil. 

 not exist in the bark in a large proportion, for 8olbs. of 

 bark will yield only 62 ozs. of heavy oil, and 2|ozs. of light 

 oil. 



