390 



THE TROPICAL FRUIT STOVE. 



geographers on account of its odoriferous plants ; and as the rest of the 

 then civilized world procured their spices from that country, they, in 

 then- imperfect knowledge of geography, concluded that these spices 

 were its natural produce, not considering that it was possible for this 

 supply to be obtained from a country much more remote. It is con- 

 jectured, and on pretty good authority, that the spices presented by the 

 Queen of Sheba to the \^^ise monarch of Judah were procured from 

 Ceylon, or the islands still farther to the east. 



. THE CINNAMON TREE {LauTUS cinnamomum) . 



This tree has been an inhabitant of our stoves since 1763. In its 

 natural state it attains the height of from twenty to thirty feet, but 

 when cultivated for its bark it is kept cut like a coppice, numerous 

 shoots springing from the roots, which are not allowed to rise above 

 ten feet. " In three years after planting, each tree affords one shoot 

 fit for cutting ; at the fifth year from three to five shoots may be taken," 

 and in eight years it yields as many as ten shoots, each an inch in 

 thickness. \Mien from ten to twelve years old it is considered in per- 

 fection, but will continue much longer, as an extension of the root en- 

 ables it to send up fresh supplies of shoots for years. The shoots are 

 cut when of the above thickness, and then into lengths of from two 

 to three feet, and when properly dried it is fit for exportation. Besides 

 Ceylon, it grows plentifully in IMalabar, Cochin-China, Sumatra, and the 

 Eastern Islands. It has been cultivated in the Brazils, the Mauritius, 

 India, Jamaica, and other places. The soil in which it thrives best is nearly 

 pure quartz sand. That of the cinnamon garden near Colombo, in Cey- 

 lon, was found by Dr. Daw to consist of 98*5 of silicious sand, and 1-0 

 only of vegetable matter in 100 parts. " The garden is nearly on a level 

 with the lake of Colombo : its situation is sheltered : the climate is re- 

 mai'kably damp : showers are frequent, and the temperature is high and 

 uncommonly equable." — Davy^s Ceylon. 



The Cinnamon tree is considered difficult to cultivate in England, even 

 in our best regulated stoves. The Messrs. Loddiges appear to be more 

 successful in this respect than most cultivators, and that may perhaps be 

 accounted for by their keeping their stoves much warmer than is gene- 

 rally done by the best gardeners. A mixture of sandy loam and peat 

 is recommended by Sweet as the best kind of soil, the pots being 

 weU drained prior to the plants being placed in them. But it is 



