H0CKIXGS ? GARDEN MANUAL. 



161 



Ceylon it grows in white sand. It is a handsome ever- 

 green shrub, and is propagated by layers, cuttings, and 

 seed. 



The preparation of the spice from the bush is very 

 simple. Sticks, as straight as possible, three or four 

 feet long, are cut from the bushes in large numbers — 

 the thickest not much stouter than one's thumb, the 

 thinnest not so small as one's little finger ; these sticks 

 are held by the operator in his left hand, resting 

 lengthwise on his forearm, whilst, with a sharp knife 

 prepared for the purpose, he cuts the bark down the 

 entire length of the stick, and then peels it off, endea- 

 vouring to retain the pieces of as great a length and 

 breadth as possible ; the strips of bark are then 

 thoroughly dried in the sun, rolled up into thin 

 cylinders, the smaller ones being placed within the 

 larger, and packed for exportation. 



A spurious camphor is prepared from the roots of 

 this tree, but the camphor of commerce is the produce 

 of the cinnamonum camphor a. 



THE CASTOR OIL PLANT. 



(Ricinus Communis). 



This plant grows with great luxuriance over a large 

 area of the country, especially in rich, well-drained 

 soil, and produces heavy crops of seed. Like most 

 plants which are raised from seed, it sports into many 

 varieties ; and in countries where it is grown for manu- 

 facturing purposes, they possess special sorts which are 

 highly valued, some of which were received by the 

 local Acclimatization Society, and distributed several 

 years ago. The most approved sorts were rather small 

 seed, but very solid, and rich in oil. Size is no recom- 

 mendation, as the large seed is often hollow, and does 

 not yield much oil. Another very important quality 

 has also to be considered in selecting seed for planting, 



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