384 



SPICES AND rRAGRANT WOODS. 



of almost flat pieces, and is obtained from Ginnamonum Oulilaban^ 

 a tree growing in Amboyna, and probably other parts of the 

 Moluccas. 



The other bark, known as clove bark, occurs in quills, which are 

 imported from South America. Murray says it is produced by 

 the Wyrtus caropliyllata, a tree termed by DecandoUe Sijzgium 

 caropliyll(Bum. It appears, however, that this is an error, for both 

 Nees and Yon Martius declare it to be the produce of Dicypellium 

 caryophyllatum ; and the last quoted authority states that this 

 tree is the noblest of all the laurels found in the Brazils, where it 

 is called " Pao Cravo." It grows at Para and Sio Negro. 



Cinnamon may be propagated by seeds, plants, or layers ; roots 

 also, if carefully transplanted, will thrive in favorable localities, 

 and yield useful shoots in twelve months. It is usually cultivated 

 from suckers, which skould not have more than three or four 

 leaves, and' require continual watering. If raised from seed, the 

 young plants are kept in a nursery for a year or two, and then 

 transplanted ; but the trees from seeds are longer arriving at 

 maturity. The plants are kept well earthed about the roots to 

 retain the moisture, and coco-nut husks are placed above them, 

 which in time form an excellent compost. 



A cinnamon plantation, even in a favorable locality, seldom 

 yields much return until eight or nine years have elapsed. 



The mode of cultivation pursued by the natives differs from that 

 followed in the plantations of the Europeans. The native system is 

 to allow the cinnamon to grow large before cutting ; the European 

 practice is to cut it young. The result is that the native produces 

 quantity, but coarse ; the European produces quality, but less in 

 quantity. I have found, in conversation with the native growers, 

 that they consider the bush or tree decidedly weakened by its being 

 kept down by constant cutting twice a year ; and that their plants 

 are stronger and better. It is not absolutely an original opinion, 

 but I think the two systems might be judiciously blended. In 

 cutting the cinnamon sticks for peeling, as the Europeans do it 

 twice a year, there is always risk of losing much valuable young 

 wood, which is destroyed in slashing into the bushes with catties 

 (bill-hooks) to take out that which is in a fit state for peeling, all 

 of whicli is so much loss from the next cutting ; and on this ground 

 I should be inclined to advocate cutting once a year. There are, 

 I know, other considerations tkan the mere growth of the sticks 

 to be taken into account. Of these may be named the time when 

 the bark peels best from the stick, which of course must depend 

 upon age as well as season, the excited or unexcited state of the 

 shoots, and their several eiiects upon the quality of the spice. 



Weeding the plantations does not seem to be of so much con- 

 sequence, if the shrub gets plenty of free air all round it. 



Cinnamon land continues to yield abundantly crop after crop, 

 not for years, but for scores of years. The greater portion of 

 the late preserved plantations in Ceylon were planted by the 

 Dutch, one hundred years ago, and the bushes are stated to be as 



