902 i PPENDIX, 
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 
purposes 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 aheight 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 an 
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 is con- 
tin 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 
camphor from the fallen 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 wastéful method of procedure, 
and it is fortunate that the camphor forests of Formosa are practi- 
eally inexhaustible. 
The quantity of camphor produced depends, of course, simply on 
the amount of labour employed in the business. Ten of the iron pots 
mentioned above and their accompanying jars make up what is 
called a ‘‘ set,” and are worked by four men, One set will produce 
about 65 Ibs, in ten days, or, say, 13 ewt. a month, but this only 
under the most favourable circumstances; a fair mene is about 
4 cwt. 
Recently a change has been made in the aaa still It is 
now proposed by the Chinese authorities that the camphor stills 
should be licensed before they are permitted to work. The cost of 
the license will be equivalent to a tax of about 22s, 6d. per ewt., 
a heavy tax, seeing that the actual value of the camphor at the 
