378 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Eomans communicated with India in the time of Augustus, investing the 

 equivalent of ^100,000 sterling in the trade. One of the most important 

 articles from India was Cinnamon, and one writer states that £8 sterling 

 per lb. was obtained in Borne. 



In 1506, when the Portuguese landed in Ceylon, they found Cinnamon 

 only in its wild state, growing in the forests adjoining the seaboard on the 

 south and west. For their protection the Cingalese king contracted 

 to pay an annual tribute of 25,000 lb. of Cinnamon. A present of 300 lb. 

 of pepper and cinnamon was sent by the Kandian king to the King of 

 Holland in a.d. 1602. 



During the Portuguese and Dutch occupation of Ceylon Cinnamon was 

 their chief source of wealth, collected from the low country and from the 

 Kandian forests. There can be no doubt that Cinnamon is indigenous to 

 Ceylon. One writer mentions Africa, but during my travels on that 

 continent I have not found the least traces of Cinnamon in its natural 

 state. The Dutch first commenced the cultivation of cinnamon in 1767 

 under Governor Falch, but the Cingalese looked upon such an undertaking 

 with an evil eye. The Dutch Cinnamon gardens were formed to the 

 extent of 15,000 acres at the chief village centres in the west and south 

 of Colombo, from Negombo to Matara. Their highest export in one 

 year reached 600,000 lb., and the prices ruled from 8s. to 17s. per lb. 

 Dr. Koxburgh mentions that the first Cinnamon plantation was formed in 

 Southern India from seed received from Ceylori in 1821. The first 

 extensive planting of Cinnamon in Java was carried out by the Dutch in 

 1825 ; up to that period the monopoly of the trade rested with Ceylon. 

 They continued to cultivate the gardens until 1844, when they were 

 rented out to natives, or the lands sold outright. Up to 1846 there 

 was a high export duty upon Cinnamon, from Is. to 3s. per lb. ; from 

 1848 to 1860 about 4<i. per lb., when it became free. On removing 

 the duty the exports suddenly reached one million pounds, causing a glut 

 in the markets. For a number of succeeding years the output remained 

 about half a million pounds. 



Up to 1867 only quill bark had been exported, all the chips being used 

 in the distillation of oil. Everything was then shipped, a great deal of it 

 rubbish only fit for the furnace. This was an evil moment for the 

 shippers, and brought great disfavour upon Ceylon Cinnamon, and many 

 estates went out of cultivation. 



In 1899 the exports of Cinnamon from Ceylon, quill and chips, 

 exceeded 4| million pounds. Last year the exports exceeded 6 million 

 pounds, with 35,000 acres in cultivation. With such a large output the 

 prices obtained can hardly be considered very remunerative. Europe is 

 the principal market for Cinnamon, distributed as follows : — 



United Kingdom . . . half -million pounds. 



Germany ..... two million pounds. 



Holland half-million pounds. 



France three-quarter million pounds. 



Belgium . . . . half-million pounds. 



Spain ..... three-quarter million pounds. 



Italy . , . . . half-million pounds. 



U.S. America .... one million pounds. 



