350 
THE ISLAND OF CEYLON. 
Ceylon ; for at Malabar, Batavia, the isle of Fiance, and 
indeed every other place to 'which it has been transplanted, 
it has uniformly degenerated. Even in Ceylon it is found 
in perfection only on the south-west coast. In the northern 
parts, and about the harbour of Trincomalee, it cannot be 
reared ; and therefore it must always be sought on that 
coast which the want of harbours renders most inconvenient 
for exportation. The season at which the cinnamon is 
prepared however suits with the time at which the ships 
touch at Columbo, sufficiently well to prevent any great 
disadvantage arising from this circumstance. The principal 
accession which the cinnamon-trade can receive, is from 
the introduction of an improved method of cultivating the 
plant. Of late years the rearing it by art lias been at- 
tended with every success, and the plantations are already in 
a flourishing state, under the active management of Governor 
North. Two principal advantages may be derived from an 
improved system of planting. By carefully selecting cinna- 
mon seeds and plants of the first quality, the whole grounds, 
which are at present unprofitably occupied with coarser 
kinds, may be made to produce the finer species. If the 
system of plantation were once fully established, the cinna- 
mon grounds might be divided into three or four great 
divisions, one of which should be cut down each year. 
By this means a successive crop might be obtained, the 
quantity to be procured exactly calculated upon, and a 
great waste saved. Improvements might certainly be also 
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