202 APPENDIX. 



The method in general use now is as follows : — The camphor expert 

 selects a tree and scrapes into the trunk in different places, using an 

 instrument somewhat resembling a rake, with the view of ascertain- 

 ing whether it contains sufficient camphor to repay the labour of 

 extraction. A tree is said not to be worth anything for camphor 

 pui-poses until it is fifty years' old, and the yield is very unequal ; 

 sometimes one side only of the tree contains enough camphor to 

 satisfy the expert, and in this case that side alone is attacked. 

 The trunk is scraped to as great a height as the workmen can 

 conveniently reach, and the scrapings are pounded up and boiled 

 with water in an iron vessel over which an earthenware jar, specially 

 made for the purpose, is inverted. The camphor sublimes and 

 condenses on the jar, which is removed from time to time, scraped, 

 and replaced. The root of the tree and the trunk, for some eight 

 feet up, contain, as a rule, the greatest quantity of camphor. If the 

 scrapings obtained from the trunk yield well, the chipping Js con- 

 tinued until in the end the tree falls. The roots are then grubbed 

 up, as it is certain they will give a proportionately good return. If, 

 however, the scrapings do not turn out well, the tree is abandoned, 

 and work is commenced on another. No attempt is made to extract 



trunk or from the branches. In some cases, 

 the trunk is sawn up into timber, but this depends on the locality ; 

 from many districts, owing to absence of roads, timber would not 

 pay for its transport. 



It is impossible to imagine a more wasteful method of procedure, 

 and it is fortunate that the camphor forests of Formosa are practi- 

 cally inexhaustible. 



fallen 



cam 



on 



the amount of labour employed in the business. Ten of the ii'on pots 

 mentioned above and their accompanying jars make up what is 



called 



ill 



about 65 lbs. in ten days, or, say, If cwt. a month, but this only 

 under the most favourable circumstances ; a fair average is about 

 1 i cwt. 



chang 



It is 



now proposed by the Chinese authorities that the camphor stills 



permitted to work. The 



cwt 



a heavy tax, seeing that the actual value of the camphor at th 



