20 THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 



While the camphor tree, if permitted to grow, attains a height of 

 about 40 feet, according to the Ceylon method of cultivation the trees 

 are coppiced and kept at the more convenient height of 4 to 5 feet. 

 The first clippings are made when the trees are y/2 years old and are 

 repeated at intervals of four months ; in some instances the trees may 

 be clipped every three months. The trees are planted 8 by 4 feet 

 apart, or 1,360 to the acre. The results of distillations show that trees 

 planted and clipped as stated would yield annually about 190 pounds 

 of made camphor to the acre. 



One planter is reported to have greatly increased the yield of 

 camphor gum from a given quantity of twigs, by expressing it in- 

 stead of employing the usual distilling method. He has, however, 

 while confirming the report, consistently refused to describe his press, 

 which is of his own invention, or to discuss the subject in detail. 



The Ceylon customs returns for 1907 show one exportation of 

 camphor, weighing 562 pounds. Henceforward, it is expected, the 

 quantities annually exported will increase in geometrical progression. 



SUBSIDIARY AND SALE COMPANIES — SYNTHETIC CAFFEINE. 



Besides the parent company there has been recently incorporated 

 another stock company, with a capital of 2,500,000 marks ($595,000), 

 for the purpose of acquiring, protecting, and exploiting the patents 

 of the original company in foreign countries. The original company 

 cedes the entire rights of the patents for the manufacture of cafifeine- 

 free coflFee, tea, and other products to the new company in the follow- 

 ing countries : Belgium, France, Austria-Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, 

 England, Italy, Finland, Spain, Portugal, United States, Canada, 

 Brazil, Argentine Confederation, Peru, Chile, Cuba, and also in the 

 following countries as soon as the patents for which application has 

 been made have been granted, Norway, Turkey, Mexico, and Uruguay. 



Both of the companies mentioned are under agreement to turn over 

 to a third company the caffeine which they extract from the coffee, 

 to be refined and sold commercially. 



It may be stated that the caffeine-free product is being extensively 

 advertised in Germany and appears to be meeting with success. The 

 extraction of the alkaloid does not appreciably alter either the flavor 

 or the appearance of the bean. 



Caffeine is also produced synthetically from guano and uric acid 

 by a firm in Waldhof bei Mannheim under numerous patents, but 

 from well-informed circles it is learned that the artificial product is 

 virtually still in the experimental stage. 



