CASSIA BARK. 393 



The number of trees peeled in 18-42 was taken at 1,824,599, 

 and the crop reckoned at 108,905 Ibs. 



In the residency of Bantam, four trees suffice to produce a 

 pound of cinnamon, whilst in the other residencies eleven trees 

 must generally be stripped to furnish the same quantity ; in 1839 

 one pound could scarcely be obtained from thirteen trees. 



This cultivation increases each year, and the quality of the 

 produce improves, whilst the expenses diminish. However, the 

 Dutch Government has judged it proper not to extend it, although 

 the soil of Java appears favorable to this culture. 



Prom 200,000 to 300,000 Ibs. of true cinnamon, not freed 

 from its epidermis, is exported annually from Cochin-China. 



JAVA CINNAMON SOLD IN HOLLAND. 



Ibs. Ibs. 



In 1835 2,200 



1836 1,300 



1837 1,600 



1838 2,100 



1839 4,700 



1840 7,900 



In 1841 23,900 



1842 13,000 



1843 23,000 



1844 101,400 



1845 134,500 



1848 250,550 



STATISTICS OF PACKAGES IN LONDON. 



1842. 1843. 1844. 1845. 



Imported 2,196 .. 4,458 .. 9,197 .. 8,909 



Exported 3,661 .. 3,964 .. 6,712 .. 6,081 



Duty paid .... 838 .. 738 .. 801 .. 1,012 



Stock 2,709 .. 2,622 .. 4,230 .. 5,549 



CASSIA BAEK. 



Cinnamonum (Cassia, or aromaticum, the Laurus cassia of 

 Linnaeus, seems to be the chief source of the "cassia lignea" of 

 commerce. It differs from the true cinnamon tree in many 

 particulars. Its leaves are oblong-lanceolate ; they have three 

 ribs, which coalesce into one at the base ; its young twigs are 

 downy, and its leaves have the taste of cinnamon. 



Malabar cassia appears to be the produce of another species 

 of Cinnamonum, probably C. eucalyptoides, or Maldbatrum. 



Dr. Wight, of the Madras Medical Service, in a report to the 

 East India Company, expresses his belief that the cassia pro- 

 ducing plants extend to nearly every species of the genus. " A 

 set of specimens (he observes) submitted for my examination, 

 of the trees furnishing cassia on the Malabar coast, presented no 

 fewer than four distinct species ; including among them the 

 genuine cinnamon plant, the bark of the older trees of which, it 

 would appear, are exported from the coast as cassia. Three or 

 four more species are natives of Ceylon, exclusive of the cinnamon 

 proper, all of which greatly resemble the cinnamon plant, and in 

 the woods might easily be 'mistaken for it and peeled, though the 

 produce would be inferior. Thus we have from Western India 

 and Ceylon alone, probably not less than six plants producing 



