CAMPHOR 



Trade 



THE CAMPHOR TREES 



fulfilled. 



chemically. But the rise in the price of camphor has had another effect, 

 namely of turning the attention of planters in other lands to the possibility 

 of competing with Japan in the supply of natural camphor. Willis and 

 Bamber in an able article have dealt with every aspect of cultivation 

 and manufacture (Circ. Roy. Bot. Gard. Ceylon, 1901, No. 24). In The 

 Agricultural Ledger (1896, No. 5) Hooper detailed certain experiments 

 which went to show that a fairly large supply of camphor might 

 be obtained from an oil distilled from the leaves of Cinnainonnnn- 

 Camphora. It had been supposed that camphor was only obtainable 

 from the timber and roots of trees 50 to 100 years old, and obviously 

 only Governments could undertake to plant such on a large scale and 

 wait so long for remuneration ; but as a consequence of experiments 

 made in India, Algeria, United States and some German colonies, it was 

 thought that Cinnavnomum Camphora might be planted as a catch 

 crop by tea, coffee and indigo planters. The results, however, do not 

 Expectations not appear to have justified the hopes that were once formed. It would be 

 beyond the scope of this work to deal with the European uses of 

 camphor, but it may be mentioned that one of the most interesting is 

 its employment in the manufacture of celluloid. [Cf. Heuze, Les PL 

 Indust., 1895, iv., 269-72 ; Kew Bull., 1895, 305 ; Trop. Agri., April 1, 

 1904, 659 ; Komppa, Pharm. Journ., Ixxii., 77 ; Gallenberg (reviewed) in 

 Capital, June 4, 1903 ; Collins, Scient. American, Ixxxix., 368 ; Madras 

 Weekly Mail, May 9, 1903 ; March 20, 1905 ; Hauxwell, Rept. For. Admin. 

 N. Circ. Burma, 1904-5, 52 ; Copleston, Notes on Cult. Camphor, in Agri. 

 Journ. Ind., 1907, ii., pt. i., 92-4.] 



Commerce and Trade India possesses a fairly large industry in the 

 refining of camphor, chiefly at Bombay, Delhi, etc. The refiner sells the 

 article at nearly the same price as he purchased it for, the profit being made 

 on its mechanical absorption and retention of a large amount of water. It 

 appears, however, that an increasingly large proportion of Japanese camphor 

 is sublimed before being exported to India. The imports of Barus camphor 

 are now of little or no consequence, having decreased from 528 Ib. in 

 1899-1900 to 106 Ib. in 1903-4, and in value from Rs. 32,898 to Rs. 3,170, 

 and in 1906-7 were nil. The total amount of other camphors imported 

 was 1,071,714 Ib., valued at Rs. 9,96,336, in 1899-1900 ; 1,091,002 Ib. 

 at Rs. 12,97,482 in 1903-4 ; 1,169,238 Ib. at Rs. 16,17,043 in 1904-5 ; 

 703,716 Ib. at Rs. 13,37,938 in 1905-6 ; and 849,261 Ib. at Rs. 22,99,783 

 in 1906-7. In the first-mentioned year Japan contributed only 135,010 Ib., 

 valued at Rs. 1,82,680 ; whilst in 1903-4 the amount was 671,220 Ib. at 

 Rs. 8,42,391 ; and in 1904-5, 856,130 Ib. at Rs. 12,51,846 ; though it fell 

 off in 1906-7 to 426,007 Ib. at Rs. 14,11,926. Doubtless a large propor- 

 tion of this must be the Formosan camphor, which was previously exported 

 to India via Hongkong. The increase in the Japanese trade corresponds 

 with a rapid decrease in the quantities obtained from the United Kingdom 

 (English refined camphor), Hongkong and the Straits Settlements, the 

 totals for these three having been in 1899-1900 : United Kingdom, 84,460 Ib. 

 valued at Rs. 77,658 ; Hongkong, 440,458 Ib. at R?. 3,80,598 ; Straits Settle- 

 ments, 411,696 Ib. at Rs. 3,55,261. In 1906-7 the quantities and values 

 were respectively : United Kingdom, 22,311 Ib. at Rs. 76,778 ; Hongkong, 

 277,360 Ib. at Rs. 5,43,304 ; Straits Settlements, 74,803 Ib. at Rs. 1,61,295. 

 The increased proportionate value of Japanese camphor compared to Euro- 

 pean camphor may show that more of it is imported in a refined state. The, 



246 



Commerce 

 and Trade. 



Refining 

 Industry. 



Trade with 

 Japan. 



