242 TROPICAL AGRICULTURE 



been used since 30CX) B. C. in China as a substitute for cin- 

 namon. The tree attains a height of 25 to 50 feet and closely 

 resembles in appearance the true cinnamon tree. Cassia bark 

 was used as a spice in various countries long before true cin- 

 namon was employed for that purpose. The best grade of 

 Chinese cassia bark, or cassia lignea, is nearly as aromatic 

 as true cinnamon and may be used for the same purposes. 

 Young trees are cut down at the age of 6 years and the 

 branches harvested for their yield of bark. The bark is slipped 

 from branches about i inch in diameter and flattened out, after 

 which the epidermis is removed with a plane. The bark is 

 then dried for a period of about 24 hours and baled. 



All parts of the plant may be used for distillation of cassia 

 oil. The dried unripe fruits, called cassia buds in trade, are 

 much used in the place of cinnamon. The United States 

 imports about 6,000,000 pounds of cassia bark annually. In 

 China there are approximately 60,000 acres devoted to the 

 cultivation of cassia. The yield averages ij^ tons per acre 

 every 6 years. The bark of C. iners and C. sintoc of Malaya 

 and of C. massoia of New Guinea is also used for the same 

 purpose. In India the leaves of C. tamala and C. obtusi- 

 folium are almost universally used by the natives as a spice. 

 The fallen leaves have been found to be just as aromatic as 

 the freshly picked leaves. It is only necessary, therefore, to 

 have a tree or two in the dooryard to furnish a continuous 

 supply of flavoring material for home use. 



CINNAMON 



The true cinnamon {Cinnamomum zeylanicum) of Ceylon 

 and India is a tree attaining a height of 20 to 60 feet with a 

 densely branched compact head, dark green leathery leaves, 

 and small yellow flowers in lateral and terminal panicles. 

 Ceylon cinnamon is commonly considered of finer quality than 

 that from Malabar. In the early days of the cinnamon in- 



