The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1902-11-26
THE QUEEN OF SPICES
CINNAMON, DELICIOUS AND SuGARY,
AROMATIC AND PUNGENT.


The Discovery OF Its Valuable Prop
critics Antedatcs Recorded History,
Something of Its Uses and the Way
In which 1t Is Produced.
Cinnamon is In itself unquestionably
the most delicious OF all spices, being
sugary as well as aromatic and pun
gent. Many thousands of pounds are
consumed annually in every civilized
country, and 1t is also highly appreci-
ated by even semlelvili2ed and bar
barous nations where culinary art and
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 and pastries by the addition OF
more or less of this delicate bark. 1t Is
an essential flavoring In all spice cakes
and In many varieties Of pies and pud-
aings. In chocolate, confectionery,
candies. cordlals and llqueurs cinnamon
contributes an Incompatible flavor.
Its medicinal value is well known
as an antispasmodic and carmnatlve
and tonic Its use Is recommended as
preventive and remedy for cholera.
and In seasons when stomach troubles
| prevail cinnamon drops are recon-
mended as the most wholesome form
Of candy for children.
The discovery of the valuable prop
critics of cinnamon antedates recorded
history, us It Is mentioned In the Bible,
| In the book of Exodus, us one of the
| ingredients of the sacred oil with
| which the priests We're Amounted So
] highly was the sweet bark esteemed
by the nncients that even II small piece
/ was considered tit gift for king. 1t
| Is always mentioned as an especially
choice substance by Greek writer's pre-
| yious to the Christian era. 1t Is said
! that the Arab traders. who first
brought It 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
Is represented by n large number of
aromatic and medicinal trees and
shrubs.
There are several closely allied elm
namon trees, but the finest bark is pro
cured from species native to the is.
| land of Ceylon, distinguished by bota
nists as Cinnamonum zeylanlcum. In
state of nature this grows To be
tree from twenty to thirty feet In
height, with rather large. oval, entire
margined leaves and yellowish flowers
succeeded by small brown drupes re-
sembling acorns In shape The graylsh
brown bark Is internally of mn orange
color which changes upon drying to
the characteristic brown which Is the
recognized name of particular shade.
Almost every part of the tree yields
some choice substance and Is especial
ly rich In oil The roots yield camphor
and the leaves an oil resembling the
oil of cloves and often substituted for
| IL, while from the fruit substance
called cinnamon suet Is manufactured,
which Is highly fragrant and from
| which I'm former times candles for the
exclusive use Of the king were made.
In the latter part of the eighteenth
century, while England was for time
| In possession of the spice Islands, Gin
namon plants were among the choice
| products that were imported Into yarl-
GUS other tropical regions, Including
| the West indies, where in Cuba ana
| several other islands II has become
| considerable article of commerce. I'm
| der cultivation II Is not allowed to
| grow into tree, as the richest bark Is
| taken from shoots of from two to four
| years growth. The young tree Is.
| therefore, cut and shoots from the root
| nre encouraged to grow. The majority
| of these are cut when about ten feet In
| height and the bark Is detached In ten
or twelve inch lengths. After lying In
| bundles for few days the bark is
scrapcd by hand, both outside and In,
until reduced to thin sheet. These
sheets are then made up into compos-
lite "quills" by placing the narrower
and shorter pieces inside and rolling
tightly, forming firmrods, which after
| further drying are made into bundles
weighing about eighty pounds and
wrapped for shipping. Grocers divide,
assert and very neatly combine por-
lions OF these quilts into small packets
for the convenience Of their customers.
The oil OF cinnamon Is made by
grinding the coarser pieces Of the bark
and soaking them for two or three
days In sen water, followed by the
process OF distllllng. Two oils. one
heavier and the other lighter than wa
ter, are the product, both possessing
similar properties. The color varies
from cherry red to pale yellow. the
latter being preferred by most pur-
chasers.
The work OF dstilling Is light, and
an oil equal TO the best Ceylonese Is
now produced In Trinidad and various
other localities In Cuba and other West
India islands
As cinnamon commands a good price
and It's uses are continually multiply
ing, there is every inducement for ex-
tending the area of Its cultivation, both
In the eastern and western hemi-
spheres.-St. Louis Republic.
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