CINNAMON. 91 



Laurus malabathrica, or Cinnamomum nitidum, and the C. 

 Tamala. The common evergreen Laurel of the gardens 

 does not belong to the same Natural Order as the cinnamons, 

 and is only mentioned as resembling the spice-plant. 



The cinnamon-bark of commerce is in the form of thin 

 rolled sticks, or quills, as they are technically called, about 

 three feet in length, and compact. In Ceylon, the bark-peelers 

 are called Choliahs ; they choose such branches or twigs as 

 are three years old j from these they remove the bark by 

 making two or more longitudinal incisions, according to the 

 size of the branch; these cuts extend the whole length of 

 the bark, which is then easily removed by inserting under 

 it the point of the blade of the peeling-knife ; the next day 

 the epidermis or upper bark separates easily, and is then 

 removed, with the middle or green bark ; the portion left is 

 the undermost or cinnamon bark, in which resides the beau- 

 tiful flavour ; this, as it dries, curls up, and forms the quills, 

 and before they become quite hard and brittle, the smaller 

 ones are inserted into the larger ones, until compact sticks 

 are made, which are not so liable to breakage, and do not 

 take up so much room in packing as single quills. When 

 dried, the bark is of a very peculiar rich brownish-yellow, 

 which has received the name of cinnamon-colour; it is very 



