14 
VIII. 
ESSENTIAL OILS AND OTHER MINOR INDUSTRIES.- 
The following tabulated returns show that the industry of 
essentia] oils distillation is now firmly established in the Colony. 
The number of stills at work and in course of erection 
amounts to :■— 
5 at Barbarons. 
2 at Misere. 
1 at Sans Souci. 
1 at Petit Paris. 
1 at Silhouette. 
1 at Bel Ombre. 
1 at Anse Etoile. 
12 
There are many other localities where this home industry 
could be established. The value of the exports, Rs 41,000, 
shows that it is by no means a negligible industry. The 
quantity of cinnamon bark exported is gradually vanishing, 
the trees barked while still standing having been killed out. 
Younger trees are growing ay ain from seeds and suckers but 
these will take years to reach ihe size required to make the 
barking pay. Meanwhile the young trees produce every two 
years or 18 months a crop of leaves which is U3ed for distillation. 
The enormous quantity of cinnamon leaves refuse whk-h accu¬ 
mulates round distilleries is used as manure in coconut planta¬ 
tions. When employed in conjunction with chemical fertilizers 
this humus-forming material is very beneficial iu the poor soils 
of Mahe. Astonishing results have already been obtained at 
Sans Souci in soils formerly rendered sterile by cassava planting 
and hush fires. It was noticed during a visit to Silhouette 
Island in November 1915 that the yield of cinnamon oil was 
greater than usual, viz., 15 litres per ton as compared with 8 to 
10 litres in Mahe. On the island in question the distillation 
was carried on with small quantities of leaves at a time and 
the still was provided with the water bath and the continuous 
system of distillation the mother liquor returning automati¬ 
cally from the florentine vase to the still and remaining in the 
still for a week at a time. I think the large yield is to he 
attributed to the improved system of distillation rather than 
to particular varieties of cinnamon, although I was struck at 
the time of mv visit by the great quantity of the small leaved 
variety which was being distilled. 
I have also to record the presence at Praslin of a great 
number of cinnamon trees, at Anse Marie Louise and Pond 
Azor. Pjoiu this centre and also from a few trees at Grand* 
Anse the seeds should be distributed all over the district. In 
1905 severai bags of seeds were sown broadcast at Pond Azor 
by the care of ibis Department but the trees at Anse Marie 
Louise are trees of great size and bulk. They are very old and 
had escaped attention for a long time. 
