As in the case of sago and tapioca, a good deal of misconception prevails in regard to cinnamon and cassia, and as with sago and tapioca, one is often sold for the other by the uninformed. The word “cassia,” botanically speaking, has nothing whatever to do with the aromatic bark which we call by that name, but refers to a genus of plants of the bean family, from which are derived the dried senna leaves, an infusion of which our mothers induced us to take by the bribe of a piece of candy, altho we had “tummy ache” for a brief space afterwards. The word “cinnamon” is derived from two Malayan words “cassia” from the Greek word “kasian,” which occurs in Psalms XLV-8, and elsewhere in the Bible, where it is supposed to refer to the aromatic bark of the present day, was afterwards tacked on. That cassia (the bark) was known in biblical times is well authenticated. It is mentioned in a Chinese herbal published in 1700 B. C. under the name kwei. The earliest mention of cinnamon is in a list of offerings by Seleneneus Callinieus, king of Syria, and his brother, Antiochus Hierax, to the temple of Apollo at Miletus, 243 B. C. Among the gifts mentioned are: “2 lbs. of cassia and a like quantity of cinnamon.” From this it appears there was then a recognized distinction between the two barks. We do know that the cassia was obtained from China, but the source of the cinnamon is unknown, unless it was obtained thru the Chinese from Ceylon, the inhabitants of those countries being in frequent intercourse in ancient times, for the earliest mention we have of cinnamon as a production of Ceylon is by Kazwini, an Arab writer of about 1275 A. D. [Illustration] That cinnamon and cassia were extremely analogus is proved by the remark of the Greek physician Galen (130–200 A. D.): “The finest cassia differs so little from the lowest quality of cinnamon, that the first may be substituted for the second, provided a double quantity of it were used.” With this brief historical sketch we will now endeavor to point out the differences between the two barks.