171 



tacle and the camphor-vapour to a cooling- chamber, where it falls 

 as flowers of camphor. In the next stage the flowers are com- 

 pressed into small and large blocks by means of powerful hydraulic 

 presses. The pressure is such that the cakes come out beautifully 

 clear and compact. 



In the middle ages, camphor was extremely valuable. Marco 

 Polo, when in the 13th centmy, he visited Fansur in the Malay 

 Archipelago speaks of its camphor as selling for its weight in gold. 

 Again between A.D. 1342 and 1352, an embassy left Pekin bearing 

 a, letter from the great Khan to Pope Benedict XII, accompanied 

 by presents of silk, precious stones, camphor, musk, and spices. 



The camphor of the Malay Islands, however, is the product of 

 a different tree from the native of China and Japan. (Lunrinece). 



30. Cinnamomum Cassia, Bl. — The Cassia Tree is a handsome tree, 



much like the Cinnamon Tree, with somewhat similar, small, yel- 

 lowish flowers, and leaves with three strongly marked nerves. It is a 

 native of Cochin China, 



Cassia Bark is similar to Cinnamon, but thicker. It has a 

 stronger flavour, but less delicate. It is preferred however in 

 Germany and Russia by chocolate makers. (Laurinece.) 



31. Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Nees. — The Cinnamon Tree though 



small is singularly beautiful, being one mass of shining foliage. It 

 is a native of Ceylon, where one variety grows in the forests even 

 up to an elevation of 8,000 feet. 



Cinnamon and Cassia are spices which were known in the most 

 remote times and were regarded as among the most costly of aro- 

 matics. The Pharmacographia quotes the offering made by 

 Seleucus II., King of Syria, to the temple of Apollo at Miletus, 

 B.C. 243, as consisting chiefly of vessels of gold and silver and 

 olibanum, myrrh, costus, including also two pounds of cassia, and 

 the same quantity of cinnamon. After the Portugese had dis- 

 covered the new route to India, by the Cape of Grood Hope, they 

 permanently occupied Ceylon in 1536, chiefly for the sake of the 

 Cinnamon. Even twenty years later it was rare, if we may judge 

 from the fact that it figures among the New Year's gifts to Philip 

 and Mary (1556-57), and to Queen Elizabeth (1561-62). 



Under cultivation the cinnamon tree is cut low down and only 

 4 or 5 shoots allowed to spring up. When these are about 2 years 

 old and begin to turn brown, they are cut and the peel carefully 

 separated into " quills." The outer bark is scraped off ; and the 

 quills, placed one inside the other, form the Cinnamon of com- 

 merce. [Laurinece). 



32. Cocos australis, Mart. — is a native of South Brazil. The fruit has 



a sweet edible pulp. (Palmce). 



32a. Cocos botryophora, Mart, is a native of Brazil ; growing along 

 the banks of rivers in the forest. (Pa/ nice). 



33. Cocos flexuosa, Mart, a native of Brazil, is a slender decorative 



palm, which can be planted in dry parts of the Island, like the Li- 

 guanea plains, as it withstands drought. ( Palmce.) 



