THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 35 



THE PRODUCTION OF CAMPHOR.* 



BY A. R. L. DOHME, BALTIMORE, MD. 



It may be interesting, in connection with the paper on the synthesis 

 of camphor, to have some data as to the present source of supply and 

 the outlook for the maintenance of the same. All camphor used in the 

 world is supplied by Japan and China, and about in the proportion of 

 80 per cent, from Japan, and 20 per cent, from China. Of the 80 per 

 cent, from Japan, 70 per cent, comes from the island of Formosa, and 

 10 per cent, from Japan itself. Formosa is like the evervexed Philip- 

 pines, a land flowing with camphor and sayages, and unfortunately, 

 these two are incompatible and render most of the valuable camphor 

 forests unprofitable. This will continue until the Japanese government 

 sinks a few hundred million in pacifying the natives or civilizing them. 

 This will hardly interest the present generation much, however, in all 

 probability, as civilization is a tedious process. 



In the process of obtaining camphor the trees are destroyed, for the 

 wood is actually destroyed, as is sandalwood to get oil of santal, or 

 cascara trees to obtain cascara bark. The result of this is that the 

 Japanese and Chinese governments, being largely debtor nations, begin 

 to realize that they are chopping away a valuable asset when they try 

 to increase the output of camphor while the price is up. The well- 

 known maxim applies splendidly: "Make hay while the sun shines." 

 To meet this self-immolation of interests both countries have passed 

 laws compelling the planting of young camphor trees, China being 

 more radical than Japan in this particular, as for every camphor tree 

 that is cut down five new ones must be planted. 



Japan planted three million young trees since 1900, to which are to 

 be added half a million planted this year, and hereafter 750,000 an- 

 nually. They have also established camphor experiment stations over 

 the island, whose purpose is to care for the young plants, collect the 

 seed, and replant same, studying conditions of soil best suited for the 

 plant. The climate of the half of Formosa where camphor trees 

 abound is very unhealthy, as about 33 per cent, of the coolies who have 

 braved the savages to gather camphorwood have died of fever, or were 

 rendered useless for work. Quite a few have been butchered by the 

 savages, and it is quite difficult now to get labor to go into the forests 

 and brave the trio of dangers — beasts, fever, and savages. 



To still further handicap the output, Japan has passed a law limiting 

 the destruction of camphor trees on Formosa to those in excess of fifty 

 years. In the Daito section of the island about forty million pounds 



*Read at the recent meeting of the A. Ph. A. 



