390 



SPICES AND rEAGEAIfT WOODS, 



tated for ten, twelve, or sometimes fourteen days. Th§ heavy oil, 

 which separates first, is about the same color as the light oil, but 

 sometimes the portion v/hich separates last has a browner shade 

 than the supernatant oil. The same water can be used advanta- 

 geously in a second distillation. Professor Duncan informs us 

 that 80 lbs. of newly-prepared cinnamon yield about 2| ozs. of 

 oil, which floats upon the water, and 5| of heavy oil. The same 

 quantity of cinnamon, if kept in store for many years, yields 2 ozs. 

 of light oil and 5 ozs. of heavy oil. 



Cinnamon oil is obtamed from the fragments of bark which 

 remain after peeling, sorting, and packing. It is distilled over 

 with difficulty, and the process is promoted by the addition of salt 

 water, and the use of a low still. The oil thus obtained by dis- 

 tillation is at first of a yellow color, but soon assumes a reddish 

 brown hue. It has an odor intermediate between that of cin- 

 namon and vanilla, but possesses in a high degree both the sweet 

 burning taste and the agreeable aromatic smell of cinnamon. It 

 is heavier than water, its specific gravity being 1.035. 



The ripe fruit of this tree yields a concrete oil called cinnamon 

 suet, which was formerly employed to make candles for the 

 Kandian kings. An oil, called clove oil, is also distilled from the 

 leaf, which is said to be equal in aromatic pungency to that made :^ 

 from the clove at the Moluccas. 



The following were tlae quantities sold, and the average prices 

 realised during the Dutch rule in Ceylon : — 



s. d. 



1690 3,750 bales sold at 4 8 all round. 



1709 3,750 „ 4 6 „ 



1710 3,500 „ 4 4 „ 



1720 5,000 „ 4 4 „ 



1740 4,000 „ 9 3 „ 



1760 5,000 „ 8 5 „ 



1780 2,500 „ 12 6 „ 



1784 2,500 „ 17 4 „ 



The last quotation appears to have been the highest ever ob- 

 tained for cinnamon, for 17s. 8d. average would give about 22s. 

 for the first sort. In later years we find the deliveries and prices 

 to have been as follows : — 



s. d. 



1824 5,934 bales sold at 6 6 all round. 



1828 3,918 „ 6 0 „ 



1830 5,849 „ 7 8 „ 



1842 1,018 „ — „ 



1845 3,245 „ ~ „ 



The comparative exports of cinnamon from Ceylon in the first 

 six months of 1853, as compared with the same period last year, 

 are as foUows : — 



1853. 1852. 

 lbs. lbs. 



Quarter ending 5th January 99,778 93,291 



„ SthAprU .... 73,815 .... 135,248 



Total 173,593 .... 228,539 



