492 



CINNAMON. 



this product year by year from Canton, as will be seen by the follow- 

 ing figures : — 



Year. 



Quantity. 



Value. 



Year. 



Quantity. 



Value. 



1862 

 1863 

 1864 

 1865 

 1866 



piculs. 

 7,683 

 8,374 

 13,851 

 23,514 

 23,9g0 



dollars. 

 130,030 1 

 139,175 ! 

 228,874 

 39S,776 

 455,113 



1867 

 1868 

 1869 

 1871 

 1872 



piculs. 



24,660 

 36,055 

 40,686 

 61,220 

 76,464 



dollars. 

 440,885 

 721,098 

 860,486 



The imports of spices of all kinds from China into this country 

 have been as follows (the bulk of this is Cassia bark) ; 



Year. 



Quantity. 



Value. 



Year. 



Quantity. 



Value. 



1870 

 1871 



1872 



lbs. 

 888,913 

 597,101 

 1,363,507 



£ 



32,695 

 17,080 

 65,683 



1873 

 1874 

 1875 



Ihs. 

 951,896 

 2,732,215 

 1,206,598 



£ 



32,775 

 80,190 

 35,608 



Cassia Buds are the immature fruits gathered and dried of several 

 species of Cinnamon, chiefly the Chinese Cassia lignea. They are 

 used in confectionery, having the flavour and pungency of cassia. 

 Tlie average quantity imported in each of the thirteen years ending 

 with 1842 was 4023 lbs., and we consumed about 6700 lbs. 



We received in 



Year. 



QuantitJ^ 



Value. 



Year. 



Quantity. 



Value. 



1867 



1868 



lbs. 



7,355 

 50,676 



£ 



467 

 3,565 



1869 

 1870 



lbs. 

 39,861 

 29,321 



£ 



3,000 

 2,226 



No more recent returns have been published of the imports. In 

 Southern India the more matured fruits of one of the varieties of 

 Oinnamomum iners, Eeinw. are collected for use, but are very inferior 

 to the Chinese cassia buds. 



When gathered young, the receptacles completely envelope the 

 embryo seed, which progressively protrudes, but continues firmly em- 

 braced by the receptacle. The buds are of various sizes, having 

 the appearance of nails with roundish heads. If completely dried the 

 receptacle is nearly black. 



Cassia buds are shipped from Canton, but the exports have much 

 declined. Eondot estimated them as averaging in 1848 53,333 lbs. a 

 year. In 1866 only. 31,066 lbs., and in 1867 but 22,000 lbs. were 

 shipped from Canton. 



Cinnamon. — The Cinnamon of commerce is the aromatic bark of a 

 species of laurel, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum, Breyne. Its fruit is a 

 small berry in the form of an olive, with a kernel. The bark is com- 



