The genus Cinnamomum

188 M. Hasanah et al.
Table 7.1 Mean height and girth sizes as affected by spacing and fertilizers with the peel method
Treatments 1997 1981 1985
treatments on yield. The addition of higher rates of fertilizer tended to reduce bark
yields (peel method) (Table 7.2).
Plantations of Indonesian cassia are maintained like forest plantations, without any
cultural operations or fertilizer applications. The only operation is the removal of the
lower branches from the main shoots, which are removed by cutting close to the trunk.
The recommended fertilizer ratio is a 15:15:15 mixture of urea, rock phosphate and
potash (40–100 kg/ha depending on the age), but, as mentioned above, growers seldom
apply fertilizer.
Bark yields obtained from the peel method are about three-fold higher than that of the
cut method. The total yield of bark obtained from the cut and peel methods varies from
1.04 to 1.25 and 3.02 to 3.65 kg/tree, respectively. Rusli and Hamid (1990) reported a yield
of 2.9 kg and 1.45 kg dry bark, respectively, from the main trunk and branches per tree.
Ridwansyah (1998) carried out an economic analysis of cinnamon cultivation in the
Kerinci National Park region of Jambi Province, Indonesia. Here, cinnamon farming is
the only source of income for about half the farming community, and more than 40%
have less than 1 ha of land. The mean cultivated area is around 1.8 ha per household.
Table 7.2 Mean yields as affected by spacing, fertilizer applications and method of harvesting
Treatment Yield (kg/tree)
Height (m) Girth (cm) Height (m) Girth (cm) Girth (cm)
Spacing (m 2 ) 2.5 3.3 4.23 a 24.0 a 8.86 a 52.3 a 76.3 a
4.11 a 23.9 a 8.29 a 48.7 a 70.6 ab
4.21 a 23.8 a 8.39 a 49.2 a 68.5 b
Fertilizer control 4.19 a 23.6 a 8.19 a 46.4 a 68.3 a
4.30 a 24.5 a 8.53 a 50.9 b 72.5 a
NPK (15 15 15) 4.04 a 23.7 a 8.41 a 52.3 b 74.5 a
12.5 g urea
Source: Usman, 1999.
Note
Values followed by the same letters are not statistically significant.
Cut Peeled
1997 1981 1985 Total 1977 1981 1985 Total
Spacing (m 2 )
2.5 3.3 0.35 a 0.53 a 0.33 a 1.21 0.13 a 0.49 a 2.84 a 3.46
2.5 2.5 0.36 a 0.49 ab 0.31 a 1.16 0.13 a 0.45 a 2.69 a 3.27
2.5 2.0 0.34 a 0.37 b 0.29 a 1.00 0.12 a 0.45 a 2.57 a 3.12
Fertilizer control 0.31 a 0.43 a 0.30 a 1.04 0.13 a 0.44 a 2.65 a 3.22
3.75RY 0.38 a 0.44 a 0.36 a 1.18 0.14 a 0.49 a 3.02 a 3.65
NPK (15 15 15) 0.35 a 0.53 a 0.37 a 1.25 0.12 a 0.44 a 2.46 a 3.02
12.5 g urea
Source: Usman, 1999.
Notes
RY Rustica Yellow; values followed by the same letters are not statistically significant.