VARIOUS FARM PRODUCTS 587 



yield obtained by the Department from small plats has been at the 

 rate of 5,000 to 6,000 pounds of green roots per acre, which on 

 drying was reduced to 30 per cent, making about 1,500 pounds per 

 acre. The yield from small plats can not be calculated as accurately 

 as from larger areas, but these figures constitute a good basis for a 

 conservative estimate. (B. P. I. B. 51.) 



Camphor Cultivation in the United States. The camphor tree 

 seems to be native in the coastal regions of Southeastern Asia. The 

 tree or shrub, it being used as a hedge-making plant, was brought 

 to America about 50 years ago, in the form of seedlings and planted 

 in Florida, whence, during the past dozen years, camphor trees 

 have been very extensively planted for ornament and as windbreaks 

 in the Southern and Southwestern States and in some places nearly 

 every home has one or more camphor trees in its yard. One Florida 

 nursery alone sells annually about 15,000 trees. Camphor, the 

 well known drug used as a nerve stimulant in various ways and 

 for divers other purposes, is distilled from the body of the tree, the 

 twigs and the leaves; mainly from leaves and twigs obtained by 

 trimming growing trees, shrubs or hedges, where the species is being 

 cultivated. In most places in the South the tree has two growing 

 seasons and two dormant periods. Growth begins in February and 

 before May 1 a leafy growth of 6 to 10 inches has formed. On this 

 growth are formed the flowers and seed. From May 1 to June 15 

 the weather is hot and dry and the tree goes into a dormant period. 

 With the coming of the summer rains growth begins again and 

 continues until about the middle of September, when the winter 

 dormant period begins. Camphor can be propagated by seed, 

 cuttings, and root cuttings. The seeds will begin to come up about 

 three months after planting, but four or five months are often re- 

 quired for a full stand. The first season the plants should make a 

 growth of 12 to 18 inches, with a very large and vigorous root sys- 

 tem. The treatment the second year should be the same, and at 26 

 months from planting the plants should be from 2 to 3 feet high 

 and well branched. At this time they are ready for field setting. 

 Up to the present time nearly all camphor is made from the wood 

 of old forest trees and but little use has been made of the leaves 

 and branches. This is partly due to the fact that in the camphor 

 countries the camphor is localized mostly in the old wood, while 

 that in the leaves contains a large percentage of oil. In the South- 

 ern States the camphor yield of the leaves is high and there is little 

 in the wood before it reaches an age of 10 years or more. (Dept. 

 Y. B. 1910.) 



Cacao. The culture of the cacao tree, from the seeds of which 

 chocolate is made, was an important industry among the natives 

 of Guatemala and southern Mexico before the advent of Europeans. 

 This food beverage has been found very acceptable, and from that 

 time to the present there has been a gradual increase of popularity 

 with no present indications of a limit being reached, unless through 

 popular disgust with extensive adulteration. Thus, although the 

 culture of cacao is an old industry, it is still one of the most promis- 



