25 
common, but have been destroyed in extracting the camphor ; a 
conjecture strengthened by the fact that one of these trees on 
being felled displayed a notch in the trunk ; and it is customary 
thus to examine whether they contain camphor. On Labuhan, 
the Camphor-tree grows abundantly and is one of the noblest 
ornaments of the jungle: it has a fine straight stem, from which 
the bark separates in large flakes; the foliage is very dense, 
forming a well-shaped head, and the trunk is often ninety feet 
high, before giving off a single branch. It is alleged that the 
younger and smaller trees produce as much camphor as the old 
and larger individuals. ‘This substance is found in a concrete 
state in the crevices of the wood, and it can unfortunately only 
be extracted by felling the tree, which is afterwards cut into 
blocks and split with the wedges, when the camphor, which is 
white and transparent, can be easily removed. An essential oil 
also resides in the hollows of the wood and the natives crystallize 
it artificially, but the drug so obtained is not equally prized with 
that which is found naturally crystallized. The Borneans, though 
they occasionally use camphor medicinally, do not esteem it so, 
much as the Chinese. The price obtained in China for the 
produce of the Dryodalanops Camphora, or Kapur Barus, exceeds 
that of Japan by twenty to one: but it is alleged that super- 
stition has much to do with this disproportion and that though 
the trees are dissimilar, the chemical properties of the Bornean 
and Japan Camphor are nearly the same. 
Several species of Dipterocarpus produce a nut from which a 
fatty oil is expressed ; and the substance in question has been 
extensively vended in England under the name of Vegetable 
Tallow and Vegetable Wax. The tree most valued for yielding 
it, grows on the banks of the Sarawak river : it is about forty 
feet high, with large foliage, and branches drooping towards the 
water ; its appearance is beautiful and it bears fruit in great 
profusion and as large as a Wallnut, with two long wings to the 
seed. The natives collect and press the nuts, which yield a 
large quantity of oil, which assumes the appearance and con- 
sistency of sperm. It is at present only used for cooking ; but 
When the demand for it in Europe becomes better known in 
Borneo, the people will manufacture it more extensively. It is 
considered in England to surpass. even Olive oil for lubricating 
machinery, and it has been made into excellent candles at 
Manilla. The quick growth of the tree and the profusion of 
fruit which it bears, are strong recommendations, and will 
render its culture a profitable speculation. The same species of 
Dryobalanops has been found in Java and Sumatra. 
