The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-12-04
YHE QUEEN OF SPICES
CINNAMON, C-LlC.-yg AN0 cJGARY,
AROMATIC k>O PUN-CNT.

critics AntedateN Recorded filgto...
Something of les CscS nnd tho way
In which Il Ia Produced.
Cinnamon is In Itself unquestionably
the most delicious Of all spices. being
sugary as well as aromatic aud pun
gent. Many thousands Of pounds are
sonsumed annually IN every civilized
country, and II is also highly appreci-
ated by even semicvilized and bar
barous nations where culinary art aud
medicine have as yet made little prog
ress.
Its uses in sweet cookery are innu-
merable. There are very few fruits
which are not improved in preserves.
pickles ana pastries by the addition or
more or less OF this delicate bark. II 10
an essential navoring In all spice cakes
and in many varieties OF pies and pud-
dings In chocolate. confectionery,
candies. cordlals and liqueurs cinnamon
contributes an incompatible flavor.
Its medicinal value is well known
as an aGtlspasmodic and carmlnative
and tonic It's use is recommended az
-
and I'm seasons when stomach troubles
prevail cinnamon crops are recon-
mended as the upst wholesome form
OF candy FOR children
The discovery Of the valuable prop
critics OF cinnamon nutcdates recorded
history, as II Is mentioned In the Bible.
In the book OF Exodus, as Que of the
ingredients Of the sacred Oil with
which the priests were nnolnted. Sc
highly was the sweet bark esteemed
by the ancients that even a small piece
was considered n fit gift for king. 1t
rs always mentioned as an especially
choice substance by Greek writers pre-
yious to the Christian era. II Is said
that the Arab traders. who first
brought 1t to Egypt and western Asia,
surrounded its history and production
with special tales of mystery and
magic.
The cinnamon tree is member Of
the laurel family. which in the tropics
Ia represented by a large number Of
aromatic and medicinal trees and
shrubs.
There are several closely allied Gin
namOn trees, but the finest bark Is pro
cured from a species native TO the is
land Of Ceylon. distinguished by bota-
nists as CinnamOnium Zeylanicum. In
state of nature this grows TO be a
tree from twenty to thirty feet In
height, with rather large. oval. entire
margined leaves aud yellowish flowers
succeeded by small. brown drupes re-
sembling acorns In shape. The grayish
brown bark is internally OF an orange
color, which changes upon drying to
Che characteristic brown which is the
recognized name OF particular shade.
Almost every part OF the tree yields
some choice substance and is especial
B rich in oil. The roots yield camphoR
and the leaves an oil resembling the
oil of cloves and often substituted for
it, while from the fruit substance
called cinnamon suet Is manufactured,
which is highly fragrant and from
which IN former times candles for the
exclusive U 2 Of the king were made.
In the latter part Of the eighteenth
pentury, whlle England was for a time
N possession OF the spice Islands. Gin
namon plants were among the choice
products that were imported into varl-
eas other tropical regions. including
ths West Indies. whore In Cuba ana
ssvssal other Islands IL has become q
Considerable article OF commerce. Un-
der cultivation II II not allowed to
Srow into a tree, as tho richest bark n
takep from shoots of from two to four
years growth The young tree ia,
therefore, cut and shoots from the root
ure encouraged TO grow. The majority
sf these are cut when about ten feet IN
height and the bark is detached In ten
or twelve inch lensths. After lying In
bundles for few days the bark Ia
ssraped by hand, both outside and In.
until reduced TO thin sheet. These
sheets are then made up into compos-
he "qullls" by placing the narrower
and shorter pieces inside and rolling
tightly, forming irmrods, which after
further drying are made into bundles
weighing about eighty pounds and
wrapped for shipping. Grocers divide
assert and very neatly combine por'
tions OF these quilts into small packets
for the convenience of their customers
Tie oil Of cinnamon is made by
grinding the coarser pieces OF the barh
and soaking them for two or three
days in sea water. followed by th'
process Of dlstilling. Two oils, ont
heavier and the other lighter than wa
ter, are the product both possessing
similar properties. The color varies
from cherry red to pale yellow, th'
latter being preferred by most pur
chasers.
The work OF dlstilling is light, and
nm oil equal to the best Ceylonese Il
now produced in Trinidad and various
other localities in Cuba and other Wes
India islands.
AS cinnamon commands a good prize
and its uses are continually multiply
ing. there is every inducement for ex
tending the area of its cultivation, boil
In the eastern and western hemi
anharao o-Ct oufa Ranuhlfe