34 THE CAMPHOR-TREE OF SUMATRA. 
What is told us of this tree by Valentyn, in the year 1680, is in 
many respects remarkable, and proves at the same time how much 
the tree was already considered worthy of attention. Mich. Bernh. 
Valentyn gives the following statement on this subject, which was in 
1680 communicated to him by Arent Sylvius :— 
“The Camphor-tree is found in several forests. Without any culture 
or human aid, it grows luxuriantly like other forest-trees, and elevates 
its lofty, heavy, unbranched, and straight trunk, and forms a crown of 
moderate extension, but which may be called small in proportion to 
the trunk, and which is furnished with few and not heavy branches. 
“The leaves are oblong ovate, with a strong lengthened point 
(‘apice prolixe extenso’). In a dry state they are of a dark green 
colour. They are hard, tough, and smell like camphor. This is said 
of the tree of Baros, for in that of Java (that is, of Japan) the leaves 
are differently formed and much larger than those of the tree firs 
mentioned, as may be seen by the seventh plate of Valentyn. : 
“The bark is fine and reddish; when the tree becomes old and 
thick, it falls off in large pieces: by this property the tree may be 
partly distinguished from others. Roots several fect in length are also 
often to be seen above the ground. 
“The fruit, which is obtained with difficulty "in consequence of the - - 
height of the tree, resembles more a flower than a fruit, as it has more 
or less oblong and thick variously-coloured leaves, which are generally 
red, violet, yellow, or greenish, and enclose the fruit like a hazel-nut. 
The fruit has a hard shell; the enveloping leaves are elevated above 
it, and are not pointed, but have red tips, spread out above like the 
petals of a tulip. The fruit, which, like the leaves, has a taste of 
camphor, is not only useful for medicinal purposes, but may be em- 
ployed as food, and, like many other fruits, makes a good confection. 
The fruit is not easily obtained, as it is dangerous to penetrate the 
woods. 
* When the tree has attained some size, the resin does not stream 
out like benzoin; but near the pith, or heart, are natural fissures, in 
which the juice aceumulates, which, gradually coagulating, sticks to the 
wood in the form of small pieces of camphor. 
“Tf those who have the care of the Camphor-trees perceive that in 
some of the trees there is camphor (which they pretend to discover by 
some signs known to them), they order the trees to be cut down, strip 
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