CINNAMON CULTURE IN CEYLON. 143 



mon, as described in this document and the foregoing account, which is 

 that received as most correct by the natives, who must be considered the 

 best acquainted with the tree : — 



" The best season for the purpose of peeling cinnamon is divided into 

 two harvests ; the greater commences in the month of June and ends in 

 September, when they gather and deliver tbeir tax into the warehouse ; but 

 it is not received or made into bales. This generally takes place by the 

 end of November, when the whole work is fully completed. The lesser 

 harvest commences in January, and terminates in February; but before the 

 cinnamon is made up into bales, the period is generally extended to the end 

 of March; hence during six months the peeling takes place, and again in 

 six months not. The cause of the latter omission, or rather that the tree 

 will not admit of being peeled, is properly this — the tree then grows and 

 begins to shoot out new springs and leaves, which absorb all the sap pro- 

 ceeding from the root, leaving nothing between the bark and the trunk ; 

 but as soon as these springs and leaves have attained a certain state of 

 maturity, and the sap required for their growth diffuses itself between the 

 bark and the trunk, it then separates from the bark more readily ; but it 

 must be here observed, that for some years successively instructions have 

 been received from the Honourable the Directors by the Governor- General 

 at Batavia, as an indulgence to the Chalias, to peel only during the greater 

 harvest and not during the lesser. 



" There are seven kinds of cinnamon to be found in Ceylon, of which 

 only one kind is fit to be peeled. These seven kinds are named as follows : — 

 1. Rase coeroonde, or sweet cinnamon, the first and only kind which is 

 peeled for the use of the Honourable Company. This is distinguished into 

 fine, middling, and coarse cinnamon, which variety of kinds is owing to the 

 age of the trees, for the older that the trees are the coarser and thicker 

 their bark becomes. 2. Sewel coeroonde exudes a gluish moisture ; it is 

 not peeled for the Company's use, but employed by the natives for medi- 

 cinal purposes. 3. Tunpot coeroonde, or thorny cinnamon; the tree having 

 thorns is not peeled, but used for medicinal purposes. 5. Mai coeroonde, 

 or flower cinnamon, not peeled, but produces good camphor. 6. Welle 

 coeroonde, or camphor cinnamon — the best .camphor of Ceylon is to be 

 obtained from the root of this tree. 7. Dawoel coeroonde is only good for 

 medicine. 



" The countries, corles, and provinces, producing the best and most cin- 

 namon, extend along the sea coast from the river of Chilaw northward, to 

 that of Waluwe southward, a distance of about 56 miles ; and in breadth 

 from the margin of the sea 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 miles 

 landward. 



" The lands without the corles are under the dominion of the King of 

 Kandy. But we have now, with his permission, peeled there eight or nine 

 years, as peaceably and without any disturbance as on our own territory, 

 and for the purpose of peeling during the present harvest we have again 

 obtained permission from the chiefs of that court. 



