ed,
in the preparation of court sticking-plaster. The gum or resin called
dulang is named by us scented benzoin from its peculiar fragrance. The
rasamala (Lignum papuanum of Rumphius, and Altingia excelsa of the
Batavian Transactions) is a sort of wild benzoin, of little value, and
not, in Sumatra, considered as an object of commerce.

(*Footnote. Les Arabes tirent beaucoup d'autres sortes d'encens de
l'Habbesch, de Sumatra, Siam, Java, etc. et parmi celles-la une qu'ils
appellent Bachor (bakhor) Java, et que les Anglois nomment Benzoin, est
tres semblable a l'Oliban. On en exporte en grande quantite en Turquie
parles golfes d'Arabie et de Perse, et la moindre des trois especes de
Benzoin, que les marchands vendent, est estimee meilleure que l'Oliban
d'Arabie. Niebuhr, Description de l'Arabie page 126.)

(**Footnote. According to Mr. Jackson the annual importation of Benzoin
at Mogodor from London is about 13,000 pounds annually.)

CASSIA.

Cassia or kulit manis (Laurus cassia) is a coarse species of cinnamon
which flourishes chiefly, as well as the two foregoing articles, in the
northern part of the island; but with this difference, that the camphor
and benzoin grow only near the coast, whereas the cassia is a native of
the central parts of the country. It is mostly procured in those
districts which lie inland of Tapanuli, but it is also found in Musi,
where Palembang River takes its rise. The leaves are about four inches
long, narrower than the bay (to which tribe it belongs) and more pointed;
deep green; smooth surface, and plain edge. The principal fibres take
their rise from the peduncle. The young leaves are mostly of reddish hue.
The blossoms grow six in number upon slender foot-stalks, close to the
bottom of the leaf. They are monopetalous, small, white, stellated in six
points. The stamina are six, with one stile, growing from the germen,
which stands up in three brownish segments, resembling a cup. The trees
grow from fifty to sixty feet high, with large, spreading, horizontal
branches, almost as low as the earth. The root is said to contain much
camphor that may be obtained by boiling or other processes unknown on
Sumatra. No pains is bestowed on the cultivation of the cassia. The bark,
which is the part in use, is commonly taken from such of the trees as are
a foot or eighteen inches diameter, for when they are younger it is said
to be so thin as to lose all its qualities very soon. The difference of
soi