Am.. lour.  Pliarm 
Mar.,  1883. 
} 
Origin  of  Cassia  Lignea. 
135 
nanion  as  a  product  of  Arabia  and  Eastern  Africa,  countries  in  which 
there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  it  ever  grew.  At  the  present  day  it  is  still 
an  important  item  in  Chinese  commerce.  I  find,  from  the  Statistical 
Returns  of  the  Chinese  Imperial  Customs  (for  copies  of  which  Kew  is 
indebted  to  Sir  Robert  Hart),  that  the  export  from  China  for  the  last 
two  years  stands  as  follows  •} 
With  regard  to  the  botanical  source  of  Cassia  lignea,  it  is  remarkable, 
considering  its  ancient  history  and  its  present  importance  in  trade,  that 
up  to  the  present  time  nothing  certain  has  been  ascertained.  Fliickiger 
and  Hanbury  remark : — '^Although  it  is  customary  to  refer  it  without 
hesitation  to  a  tree  named  Cimiamomum  Cassia,  we  find  no  warrant  for 
such  reference ;  no  competent  observer  has  visited  and  described  the 
cassia-yielding  districts  of  China  proper,  and  brought  therefrom  the 
specimens  requisite  for  ascertaining  the  botanical  origin  of  the  bark."^ 
Bentley  and  Trimen  also  remark,  in  their  "  Medicinal  Plants,'^^ 
"Though  it  is  probable  that  this  species  (Cinnamomiim  Cassia)  affords 
Chinese  cassia,  tlie  fact  has  never  been  j)TOved.'' 
In  the  face  of  the  uncertainty  felt  by  these  authorities,  it  appeared 
to  be  desirable  to  have  the  point,  if  possible,  cleared  up.  The  atten- 
tion of  the  Colonial  Office  was  accordingly  drawn  to  the  matter,  Nov- 
ember 18,  1881 ;  and  it  was  suggested  that  Mr.  Charles  Ford,  Super- 
intendent of  the  Botanical  and  Afforestation  Department,  Hong  Kong, 
might  be  allowed,  with  the  consent  of  his  Goverimient,  to  proceed  to 
the  cassia  plantations  on  the  West  River  for  the  purpose  of  reporting 
on  the  cultivation  and  collection  of  Cassia  lignea,  as  well  as  of  bringing 
back  for  distribution  from  the  Hong  Kong  Botanic  Garden  living  and 
dried  botanical  specimens  of  the  authentic  plant.  Lord  Kimberley  was 
so  good  as  to  approve  of  the  proposal ;  and  in  the  month  of  May  last 
Mr.  Ford  accordingly  started  for  the  cassia  districts  of  the  West  River, 
the  Sai  Kong.  He  completely  succeeded  in  the  object  of  the  expedi- 
tion, and  described  his  journey  and  its  results  in  a  Report  to  the  Hong 
Kong  Government,  August  9.    This  report  has  been  printed  as  a 
^  "Returns  of  Trade  at  the  Treaty  Ports  for  the  year  1881,"  p.  10. 
^  "Pharmacographia,"  p.  528. 
^  \o\.  m.,  sub  tab.22S. 
1880... 
1881... 
Quantity.  Vahie. 
88,784  piculs,         225,692  Haikwan  taels. 
57,456     "  800,303  " 
1  picul  =  133^  lbs. ;  1  Haikwan  tael  =  5s.  6]cZ. 
