70 THE CAMPHOR-TREE OF SUMATRA. 
species of Rubus. These plants are seldom found in Java below 
3000 feet. 
Signs of the presence of Camphor in the tree.—According to the 
observations of Dr. Junghuhn, the young trees do not contain camphor. 
The inhabitants of the Batta-lands are accustomed to cut down the 
oldest and heaviest ones, although the age of the trees is not known; 
and in reference to a large Camphor-tree, which he saw near Tapanuli, 
the Rajah Ngabing told him, that his ancestors, as far back as the 
history of his family went, had known it of the same size. It was pro- 
bably at least two hundred years old. 
Camphor-oil and Camphor.—Camphor-oil, that is to say liquid eam- 
phor, occurs in all the trees, even iu young ones, and exists in all 
parts of the tree, but most in the younger branches and leaves. The 
solid camphor is, however, found only between the woody fibres, and, 
therefore, only in the trunk. The natives do not know beforehand 
whether a trunk contains much or little camphor. If, however, there 
. is a large quantity of camphor in the splinters or fibres of the wood, 
. they decide that the fissures of the inner part contain a great abun- 
dance. When much gluey, half-solid young camphor shows itself on 
the radiating extensions, or in the fissures at the lower part of the 
irunk, they come to the same conclusion. However, the results are 
... frequently fallacious, and they often uselessly cut down trees which pro- _ 
. duce but very little. 
Collection of the Camphor.—The process of collecting the oil and 
| . camphor from Dryobalanops Camphora, was witnessed by Dr. Junghuhn, 
- _ near Loemoet (Tapanuli), in Sumatra, at an elevation of 300 feet. The 
-greatest quantity of camphor, in a solid as well as in a young and 
liquid state, is brought from a height of 1000 feet. The solid camphor 
_is obtained by cutting down the trees, in the inner part of which fis- 
_ sures are found between the woody fibres, which extend longitudinally 
and are filled with camphor. The young trees do not contain that sub- 
_ stance, while the thickest and oldest, that are most filled with it, rarely 
_lecting the precious product, go in a number of twenty or thirty men 
into those parts of the woods where the Camphor-tree is most often 
found. They commence constructing cottages, intending to encamp 
. upon the spot for some months. One-half of the company is occupied — — 
with severing the trunk near the root, and not, as many others have 
contain more than two ounces, The natives who are occupied in eol- — — 
