ter.*

The wood is soft and white, burning the "rods" are gathered and formed into without emitting a perfume, and useful in bundles, from three to four feet long and some kinds of cabinet-work. Ten species, 85lbs. in weight. Occasionally, the frauof which only one is cultivated, have been dulent planters attempt to mix the inferior discovered; the common, or sweet cinna- with the superior qualities, but the Governmon, the snake, the camphor, the astrin- ment tasters have so delicate a sense that gent, the mucilaginous, the drum, the wild, they immediately detect the imposition. the flower, the trefoil, and the white-ant The duty of these officials is somewhat arcinnamon. The general shape of the leaf duous, and during the performance of it in the laurel varieties is long oval, the they are obliged to eat bread-and-butter flower is white, tinged in the middle with at intervals to keep the skin on their brown, monopetalous, and stellated. A tongues. curious fruit, about the size of a small hedge-strawberry, containing one seed, like an acorn, with a rich purple colour, abounds on the tree. When boiled it yields a fine oil, which congeals when cold, and is said to form a good ointment for diseased limbs.

When in full bloom the cinnamon plantations afford a picture of extreme beauty. The immense low groves of this odorous laurel; the myriads of white blossoms in clusters, like those of the lilac; the leaves, flame-coloured at one end, dark-green at the other; and the graceful stems, like those of the hazel, supporting brilliant parasites, such as the pitcher-plant, the gorgeous gloriosa superba, with the scarlet flowers of the ixora coccinea, and the pink petals of the vinca rosea, intermingled amid the more sober foliage.

The best cinnamon is obtained from the straight stems that spring from the root after an old tree has been cut down. Great care is necessary to distinguish the age of these. Those most valuable are about ten feet high and about an inch in diameter. When too young, they have an unripe, green taste; when too old, coarse and gritty. From April to August, and from November to January, are the usual " barking seasons," though considerable quantities are collected at other times, as the plants reach maturity. To ascertain this, the "peeler" strikes a heavy knife diagonally into the stem. If the inner bark, which is the cinnamon, separates easily from the wood, it is ripe. The little tree is cut down, scraped and barked with a sharp-pointed hook, passed rapidly from one end to another. The smaller slips are placed within the larger, and laid to dry in the sun, which curls them into the form in which they are sold in Europe. The operation is one of much delicacy, as, in scraping, if any of the outer bark remains a bitter taste is given to the inner. Having been dried,

Classification of the 'laurus' cinnamonum is class ix., enneandria: order i., monogynia, according to Linnæus.

The bundles are tied up with pliant canes, and resemble slender casks, being fuller round the middle than at the ends. These are then packed in bales, with the interstices filled up with black pepper. The pepper attracting the superfluous moisture of the fragrant bark, preserves it, while its own flavour is greatly improved by contact with this delicate spice. The best cinnamon is of a light-brown colour, and scarcely exceeds the thickness of good paper. The coarser kinds are darker, stouter, and more pungent to the taste; while the finest sort is sweet and almost melts in the mouth. Formerly the use of this aromatic bark was far more universal than at present, and opulent epicures loved to have their tables perfumed with

Dulcet syrups tinct with cinnamon.*

A pungent and delicious water is prepared from the bark, as well as oil of cinhundred pounds weight yields only twentynamon, which is very expensive, as three four ounces. The former price was ten guineas a quart; but it has been reduced. The genuine article, however, rarely reaches England. Many frauds are also practised by the bark being sold after the oil has been extracted-a weak, poor scent only remaining.

From this short sketch of the three principal spices, the reader may have derived

some information as well as entertainment.

At

There are other products of inferior importance, but similar character, which may form the subject of another article. present we shall only add, that the mode rate use of the clove, the nutmeg, and the cinnamon is extremely beneficial. They add richness to the flavour of our food, and are wholesome in the extreme. Of course their excessive use, like excess of all other kinds, is injurious, being at once destructive to the system, and indicative of an epicurean and luxurious appetite.

John Keats.

White Shetland Wool; two Steel Knitting Pins, with White the same as the first white

T

BY MRS. WARREN.

A CREPED NECK-TIE.

Materials. Messrs. Walter Evans & Co.'s Boar's Head Cotton, No. 60; a pair of Bone Knitting Pins, No. 12; two lumps of Sugar dissolved in half-a-pint of hot water, and let remain till cold; two Chenille Tassels.

THIS is one of the prettiest articles for a Neck-tie that can be made; having, when finished, all the appearance of soft white crape, and may be adopted either in mourning or out, by adding either black, coloured, or white tassels. It is also imperative that P none but Messrs. Walter Evans & Co.'s

Boar's Head Cotton should be used, or the effect cannot be ensured. Cast on the pin 450 stitches, and knit in plain garter-stitch till it is five nails wide; then cast off, but not too tight; then sew a strip of calico on to each side, but only so that it can be easily untacked. If the work is at all soiled, wash it with white curd soap and water; then rinse it perfectly, and squeeze it in a cloth very dry; after that dip it in the sugar and water, squeeze it slightly, and lay it out on a doubled sheet, to dry; afterwards take off the calico, sew it up, and add the tassels. The washing and rinsing in sugar and water will always give it the appearance of being new.

THE PATIENT ASTRONOMER. CAROLINE LUCRETIA HERSCHEL, sister, and for a long time assistant, of the celebrated astronomer, Sir William Herschel, was born at Hanover on the 16th of March, 1750. She is herself distinguished for her astronomical researches, and particularly for the construction of a seleno-graphical globe, giving in relief the surface of the moon. But it was for her brother, Sir William Herschel, that the activity of her mind was awakened. From the first commencement of his astronomical pursuits, her attendance on both his daily labours and nighly watches was put in requisition; and was found so useful, that on his removal to Datchet, and subsequently to Sloughhe being then occupied with his reviews of the heavens and other researches-she performed the whole of the arduous and important duties of his astronomical assistant, not only reading the clocks, and noting down all the observations from dictation as an amanuensis, but subsequently executing the whole of the extensive and laborious numerical calculations necessary to render them available to science, as well as a multitude of others relative to the various objects of theoretical and experimental inquiry in which he at any time engaged. For the performance of these duties, George III. was pleased to place her in receipt of a salary sufficient for her moderate wants and retired habits. Arduous, however, as these occupations must appear, especially when it is considered that her brother's observations were always carried on (circumstances permitting) till daybreak, without regard to season, and, indeed, chiefly in the winter, they proved insufficient to exhaust her activity. In their intervals she found time both for actual astronomical observations of her own, and for the execution of more than one work of great extent and utility.

As above for dacc.