This superiority I then guessed (as well as the difference of leaves mentioned by Mr. Strachan) to arise from the cutting the tree down every three or four years; which occasioned it to produce strong and vigorous shoots, thicker and larger leaves, as well as greater quantity of bark, and of a superior quality. A large shoot or sucker of this plant was produced in the year 1750. or 51. by my worthy friend Dr. William Watson, together with an account of the Cinnamon-tree; which is published in the _Philosoph. Transact._ vol. xlvii. p. 301. This shoot was a plain proof to me, that the Cinnamon was frequently cut down, and that this shoot arose from the root of a plant so cut; for it was of the size of a walking-cane; and no shrub could have produced such a shoot, unless a strong plant cut down. This method of treating this plant accounts for the mistake of Garcias, mentioned by Mr. Ray; _viz. Quæ Garcias habet de duplice hujus arboris cortice ad modum suberis, nobis suspecta sunt, quæque de deliberatione semel triennio facta; non enim puto renascitur cortex semel detractus._ This shews, that the bark was gathered every three years: but Mr. Ray was not acquainted, that the plant was cut down, in order to take off the bark, once in three years. In the account above mentioned to be given to the Society by Dr. Watson, no descriptions are given either of the plants of Ceylon, or Malabar; but he quotes Burman, who says, that he had nine different sorts of Cinnamon from Ceylon, of which that, which is the best, is brought to us, and called by the name _Rasse Coronde_. What the differences between these sorts were, does not appear; whether in leaf or bark, or manner of culture. And I must observe, that in all the specimens in the British Museum I could observe no difference of species. But this is to be understood, that every sort coming from Ceylon is, by the Dutch and by the shops, called Cinnamon; and that of our own growth is by them always called Cassia. The reason is obvious. The specimens, which I now produce, of the Canella or bark of the Cinnamon of Sumatra, I procured in the year 1755. from Mr. Tho. Combes, a gentleman then in the service of the East India Company in Sumatra, by means of a friend. I was then attempting to form a society for the carrying on a General Natural History, to try proper experiments, and to employ proper painters and engravers suitable to the importance of the subject; and therefore attempted to establish a correspondence in those parts, whose productions are as yet little known to the public. I mention this design, because it would not be possible else to explain what Mr. Combes means by the word _Society_, which he so often mentions in his letter; of which I shall produce an extract, so far as it relates to the present inquiry.