ciNXA:sroy. 



385 



vigorous as ever, and quite likely to go on yielding crops till the 

 year 2000. This productiveness can only be accoimted for on 

 Liebig's principle of returning to the soil a portion of what we 

 take from it. In the operation of peeling cinnamon; the tops and 

 lateral branches are cut oif, and left by the peelers on the ground 

 close to the bushes. These, no doubt, fui'uish a considerable 

 quantity of manure to the plants. 



The general appearance of the plantation is that of a copse, 

 with laurel leaves and stems, about the thickness of hazel ; occa- 

 sionally a tree may be seen which, having been allowed to grow 

 for seed, has reached a height of forty or fifty feet, with a trunk 

 eighteen inches in diameter. When in full bloom, the cinnamon 

 bushes have a very beautiful appearance, the small white petals 

 aifording a most agreeable contrast with the flame-colored extremi- 

 ties of the upper, and the dark green of the inferior foliage, with 

 the blossoms of various lovely parasitical plants. 



The cinnamon tree flourishes only in a small portion of the 

 island of Ceylon. It is chiefly confined to the south-west angle, 

 formed by the sea coast, from Tangalle in the south to Chilaw on 

 the west. It is in a climate of agreeable temperature, which is 

 at once hot and moist ; hot from its tropical position, and moist 

 from the frequency and plentilulness of rains. The general level 

 of the country is low, in the midst of fresh-water lakes, divided 

 from the sea by a narrow riband of land. And the water in the 

 soil of the cinnamon gardens is of extraordinary purity, so as to 

 be for that reason much in request in the neighbouring city as a 

 beverage. This exact combination of influences does not occur 

 anywhere else in the island, at least not in the same degree. 



The cultivation principally centres round Colombo, the capital 

 and principal port. 



On the hiUs and valleys, in the neighbourhood of Kandy, whicn 

 have a temperate climate, the tree flourishes well ; a rather ele- 

 vated situation, with shelter, contributing to the luxuriance of the 

 plants. The best soil for it appears to be a pure quartz sand, 

 which in some places rests on black moss or moidd. From the 

 surface to the depth of a few inches, this sand is as fine in its 

 nature and as pearly white in its appearance as the best table 

 salt ; but below that depth, and near the roots of the bushes, the 

 sand is greyish. 



A specimen of this soil being carefully dried by Dr. Davy, was 

 found to consist of 98"5 silicious sand, 0*5 vegetable matter, and 

 I'l water — in 100 parts. This circumstance impresses one very 

 strongly on visiting the cinnamon gardens ; it seems so strange to 

 see a plain of pure quartz sand whitened in the sun, and yet covered 

 over with a luxuriant gro\vth of trees. In richer soils the aroma 

 does not seem to develop itself in the same concentrated form. 



A mixture of loam and peat, with sand, is said, however, to 

 form a good soil in some localities. These plantations may well 

 suggest a doubt as to the truth of the proposition so unquali- 

 fiedly laid down by some authors, that " earth destitute of or- 



2 c 



