Nº. 9. contains seeds of the Cassia or wild Cinnamon-tree. As for the seeds of the true Cinnamon-tree, I believe they are very difficult to be got; for as the Dutch are the sole masters of this spice, and get a good deal of money by it, I fancy, according to their usual custom, they have very well guarded against the transplantation of it. I hope however, that these seeds will not be unacceptable to the society, as Cassia itself is of some value; and as I am very doubtful, whether this tree is not the same with the true Cinnamon, being of opinion, that the difference observed in them arises from the different method of curing their barks, or from the taking the bark from different parts of the tree, or at different seasons, or of different ages, or perhaps all these. I have made inquiry concerning this from some very intelligent persons, and found them to be of opinion, that the Cassia and Cinnamon-tree were of the same genus. I have inquired further concerning the method of curing it at Ceylon; but as this is done by the natives, the Dutch are not very well acquainted with it; nor could I obtain any good account of it, different people giving me different relations. Some said, it was the inner bark, some the middle, and some the outer; tho’ of the young branches, they seemed in general to agree, that it was gathered at a certain season of the year, and that one part of the cure was burying it in sand for some time. This may be tried with Cassia, and may perhaps take away that viscosity or glutinous quality observed by chewing it, and which is the principal mark for distinguishing it from Cinnamon. As to their chemical oils, I have heard many people say, that they are not distinguishable otherwise, than that from Cinnamon is generally better, or, as it may be called, stronger, than that from Cassia; and accordingly bears a better price. But the Dutch company’s chemist at Batavia, if I may give him this title, informed me, that they are essentially different, and plainly distinguishable. But I must confess myself very doubtful of the knowlege or veracity of this chemist, and strongly suspect, that they are no otherwise different than in goodness, as many other oils drawn from the same subject are. I observe the price of Cassia is greatly risen in England within these two or three years; but whether this be owing to an increase in the consumption, or a decrease in the importation of this commodity, I cannot say. The Dutch government of Batavia has this year, in some new regulations of their trade, prohibited to all persons the dealing in any of the fine quilled sort of Cassia, and declared the same to be contraband, and reserved for their company only; and put it upon the same footing as their Cinnamon.