Jan. 1, 1904.] Supplement to the '^Tropical AgrioulturistJ' 
503 
forming elements, but poorer iu carbohydrates. 
They coiitaiu a certain amount of uncrystallizable 
sugar quite discernible by the palate. The stems 
and leaves are. quite equal to green cornstalks 
which are so highly thought of as fodder. 
The Jerusalem Artichoke is not at all particular 
about the soil it grows on, but it will not do in 
wet land and likes good sandy loams best. 
The tubers, one large or two or three small, are 
planted 3 feet by 3 feet, and not too deep. In land 
inclined to the wet, plant on ridges. In ordinary 
seasons the crop will be ready in from five to six 
months. Before harvesting the stems are cut, 
the tubers are then dug out with the fork or 
other convenient implement. If. there is not 
too much moisture in the soil the tubers could 
be left in it for an indefinite period and used as 
required. 
The following analysis supplied by Mr. A. C. 
True, Director of the Experimental Station Office 
at Washington, shows the value of the Jerusalem 
Artichoke : — 
Analysis of Jerusalem Artichoke 
Tubers. 
Water 
78-7 
Protein 
2-5 
Fat 
0-2 
Nitrogen free extract 
16-7 
Fibre 
0-8 
Aih 
1-1 
Potash 
0-48 
Phosphoric acid 
0-17 
Nitrogen 
0-36 
For the information given above we are indebted 
to Mr. Henry Tardent's article on the Jerusalem 
Artichoke in the Queensland Agriculturist, Vol. 
VII. Part 3. 
SUBSTITUTES FOE TRUE CINNAMON. 
The Cinnamon known as Cassia Cinnamon or 
Cassia Lignea of Indian commerce is generally 
the bark of Cinnamomum Tamala, It is coarser 
and sold in larger pieces than the true Cinnamon. 
The root bark is said to be as good as true 
Cinnamon bark. But the Indian substitute is 
also obtained from Cinnamomum obtusifolium. 
Chinese Cassia Lignea {Cinnamomuin cassia) 
otherwise colled Chinese Cinnamon is the nearest 
approach to true Cinnamon, or Ceylon Ciunamom 
{Cinnamomum zeylanicum). As exported it is 
iound in small bundles about a foot in length 
and a pound in weight, the bundle being secured 
by bands of bamboo. The bark has a general 
resemblance to Cinnamon, but consists of single 
quills not inserted one inside the other. The 
quills are also less straight, even and regular, and 
are of a darker brown colour, aud though some of 
the bark is very thin, other pieces are much 
stouter than fine Cinnamon. Tliere is generally 
a trace of the outer corky layer of the bark, which 
breaks with a short fracture, and the thicker 
bark cut transversely shows a faint white line iu 
the centre running parallel with the surface. 
Good Cassia bark resemblts CiiuiamOii iu taote, 
. being sweet aud aromatic, but the flavour is 
<lecidedly coa,r3er. 
Since 1870 an unusual kind of Cassia Lignea is 
reported to have come into the London market as 
China Cinnamon though different to the latter. 
This new bark consists of unscraped quills about 
the thickness of ordinary Chinese Cassia Lignea, 
it is very sweet, and of a pungent Cinnamon 
flavour. , 
Inferior kinds of so-called Cassia bark have of 
late poured into the market and are known 
variously as Cassia Lignea, Cassia Vera, or wild 
Cassia, being f urtlier distinguished by the names 
of the place and whence they are shipped, such 
as Calcutta, Java, Timor, etc. These barks vary 
much in colour, thickness, and aroma ; the 
flavour is more or less of Cinnamon often with an 
unpleasant addition suggestive of insects of the 
genus Cimex. There is also a form of thick Cassia 
bark of good appearance, but very astringent and 
with hardly any aroma. [Cassia buds or Flores 
Cassiae are the immature fruits of trees yielding 
Cassia Lignea. They somewhat resemble cloves 
and possess properties similar to those of the bark. 
The buds are supposed to have been used in 
preparing the spiced wine called Hippocras.] 
With the bark on it is not difficult to distin- 
guish Cassia Lignea from true Cinnamon, but 
when reduced to powder the case is different. To 
find the difference, make a decoction of true 
Cinnamon powder and one of similar strength of 
the suspected powder. When cool and strained 
test a fluid ounce with one or two drops of 
tincture of iodine. The true Cinnamon decoction 
is little affected, but that of the Cassia at once 
charges to a deep blue-black tint. The cheaper 
kinds of Cassia known as Cassia Vera could be 
distinguished from the more valuable Cassia 
Lignea by their richness iu mucilage. This can 
be extracted by cold water as a thick glairy fluid, 
giving dense ropy precipitates with corrosive 
sublimate or neutral acetate of lead but not with 
alcohol. 
It is much to be feared that adulteration by 
means of allied plants {Lauraceae) is carried on 
locally. So that it is not to be wondered that 
the price of the true bark aud of Cinnamon oil 
(which is recorded as having; sold in London 
between 178.5-1879 at HSs. to 68s. an ounce !) has 
gone down considerably. 
POULTRY RAISING. 
By a Pbactical Man 
There are very few men, and women too, who 
have not at some time of their existence dreamt 
of suppljiiig their own households with fresh 
laid eggs and an occasional roast fowl, and how 
many have been disappointed. The fault has been 
generally through mismanagement or ignorance 
of the requirements of their fowls. 
Having been 20 odd years a poultry fancier, 
and during that lime having kept most breeds of 
domestic fowls and ducks, my remarks will be 
from personal observation ; and I trust that my 
experience will be profitable to many of my 
liearerp. Perhaps the system I advocate may be 
just the opposite to that successfully practised by 
you. If sucU be thQ case by all meaas do uot 
