common sort.

The following remarks, by Mr. Dunewille, of Malacca, as to the
suitability of the Straits' Settlements for cinnamon culture, are
interesting, although in some instances a repetition of previous
observations:--

It appears, from experience, that the soil of Ceylon is more
favorable to the growth of cinnamon than to that of any other
aromatic plant, and I find the climate of Ceylon, if at all, differs
but in a very slight degree from that of the Straits. I therefore
conclude that the spice, if cultivated in the Straits, will prove
superior to that of Ceylon, if one may judge from the various spices
that grow here almost wild, and it would moreover yield a better
return than in Ceylon. My supposition is confirmed from having seen
the spice which was prepared last year in Pringet by the Honorable
Resident Councillor of Malacca, and which I found to be equally as
good in every respect as that grown and cultivated in the maritime
provinces in Ceylon.

A sandy soil is that which is generally selected for cinnamon, but
other soils may be chosen also, such as a mixture of sandy with red
soil, free from quartz, gravel, or rock, also red and dark brown
soils. Such land in a flat country is preferable to hilly spots,
upon which, however, cinnamon also grows, and are known by the name
of the "Kandyan Mountains." The soil that is rocky and stony under
the surface is bad, and not adapted for the cultivation of cinnamon,
as the trees would neither grow fast, nor yield a remunerative
return.

When a tract of land of the above description is selected, the whole
of the ground should be cleared, leaving a few trees for shade, to
which the laborers might return for rest and relaxation; these may
be from 50 to 60 feet apart. The trees felled should be well lopped,
burnt and cleared away, the stumps should be removed with roots,
after which they may be allowed to remain, in order to save expense
of carriage, merely by observing some degree of order in the
disposition, by forming regular rows, of which the intervening
spaces are planted with cinnamon. The ground being thus cleared,
holes may be dug at eight to ten feet apart, and of one foot square;
the distance from each plant will depend upon the nature of the
soil--that is, the poorer the soil, the nearer to each other should
the trees b