Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-05-07
THE QUEEN OF SPICES
CINNAMON, DELICIOUS AND sucARY.
AROMATIC AND PUNGENT.

The Discovery of Its Valuable Prom
critics Antsdates Recorded Hi.torx.
Something of Its Uses and ~.
In which IL IL Produced.
Cinnamon Is In itself unQuestiouabIv
tae most delicious Of all spices. being
SuSary as well as aromatic and nun
gent Many thousands OF pounds are
consumed annually In every civilized
country, and il is also highly appreci-
ated by even semicivilized and bar-
oarous 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. II is
an essential navOring in all spice cakes
and In many varieties OF pies and pud-
dings. In chocolate. confectionery.
candies. eOrdials and hqueurs cinnamon
contributes an Incompatible flavor.
Its medicinal value n well known
as an sntispasmodic and carminative
and tonic. Its use Ia 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, as It Is mentioned In the Bible.
In the book OF Exodus as one Of the
Ingredients Of the sacred ell with
which the priests were anointed So
highly was the sweet bark esteemed
by the ancients that even a small piece
was considered At gift for a king. 1t
Is always mentioned as an especially
choice substance by Greek writers pre-
vious to the Christian era. 1t Is said
that the Arab traders. who first
! brought 1t to Egypt and western Asia,
surrounded it's histary and production
with special tales Of mystery and
magic
The cinnamon tree "a a member OF
the laurel family, which in the tropics
10 represented by a large number Of
aromatic and medicinal trees and
shrubs.
There are several closely allied Gin
nRmon trees, but the finest bark Is pro
cured from q species native to the Is
land OF Csylop. distinguished by bota-
Rists As CiEnRmonium seylanicum In
a state Of nature this grows TO be q
tree from twenty to thirty feet In
height, with rather large, oval entire
marglned leaves and yellowish flowers
succeeded by small, brown drupes re-
sembnng acorns in shape. The Rrsylsh
brown bark is internally Of al orange
color, which changes upon drying to
the characteristic brown which is the
recognized name Of a 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
1t. while from the fruit substance
called cinnamon suet is manufactured
which is highly fragrant and from
which in former times candles for the
exclusive use OF the king We're made.
In the latter part Of the eighteenth
century. while England was for n time
In possession OF the spice Islands. Gin
ramon plants were among the choice
products that were imported into vari-
Gus other tropical regions. including
the West Indies, where In Cuba and
several other islands II has become q
considerable article of commerce. I'm
der cultivation IL is not allowed to
grow into a 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
are 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 n few days the bark is
scraped by hand, both outside and in,
until reduced to a 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
anu SOuhluS luSL lot TWO OF three
days in sea water, followed by the
process OF distilling. 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 distilling 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 its uses are contiSually multiply.
Ing. there is every ipducement for ex.
tending the area Of Its cultivation, both
In the eastern and western hemi
spheres.-St. Louis Republic.
A Crisis Met Half Way.