When the cinnamon is brought to Colombo, previous to its shipment for Europe, it is examined by the sur geons in the Company's service in rotation ; and this is a most painful duty. as the only test is the taste. The con tinued chewing of this pungent substance, excoriates the mouth in spite of the utmost precaution. Experience has shewn, that the evil effects of the chewing is best al leviated by occasionally eating bread and butter.
The best cinnamon should not be thicker than thick writing paper. It should be rather pliable, of a yellow ish colour. It should have a sweet taste, and not be so pungent as to produce pain. The inferior kinds arc thicker. darker. more pungent, and bitter. After the ex amination at Colombo has been finished, and the differ ent kinds of cinnamon separated, they are packed into bundles four feet loin!, and weighing eighty-five pounds, five of which arc aliowed for waste in the passage. The bundles are wrapped up in coarse cloth made of hemp, or of the fibrous part of the cocoa nut tree, and the in terstices arc filled up with black pepper. This latter practice is said to improve the flavour of both spices.
The refuse is put into tubs in quantities not exceeding one hundred and being covered with water, they are allowed to macerate for six or seven days. A small
portion of the incumbent liquor is distilled from a copper alembic into glass vessels. One tub requires twenty-four hours for distillation. The fluid which passes over has a milky appearance, the oil floats on the surface, from which it is skimmed off, bottled, scaled, and locked up.
h c finest has a bright gold yellow colour, and the fla vour of cinnamon in a very high degree.
From the distillation not having been carried on since the British have been masters of the colony of Ceylon, the price is risen from three-fourths of a Dutch ducat to 10/. or more per pint.
The Dutch were accused of deteriorating thcir cinna mon, by substituting the distilled hark, and cassia bark; but this fraud is easily distinguishable.
Captain Perceval considers the cultivation of this valu able spice to be susceptible of much improvement.
Cinnamon is one of the most agreeable of the spices. It is valuable in household ccconomy, and the oil is also useful to the medical practitioner. It is stimulant, and may be employed in cramp of the stomach, &c.; but it is chiefly employed to conceal disagreeable odours and taste in other drugs. See Perceval's .lccount of Ceylon. (c.