82 DICTIONARY OF POPULAR NAMES CAMPHOR 



over which are placed inverted bowls, the steam rising into these 

 bowls carries with it the camphor, which is deposited and forms 

 into masses or crystals. The other process is by placing chips 

 of the wood and branches in covered iron vessels, in the covers 

 of which are placed cut up straw and rushes. Heat is then 

 applied, the camphor volatilises and condenses on the straws ; 

 it is scraped off and purified, forming the crude camphor of 

 commerce. 



Camphor, Sumatra and Bornean, the produce of Dryo- 

 halanops aromatica, a tree of the Dipterocarpacese family, 

 found chiefly in Sumatra and Borneo. It is a noble 

 tree, often growing to a height of 90 feet before branch- 

 ing. The bark separates from the stem in large flakes. 

 The foliage is very dense, forming a fine head. To obtain the 

 camphor the tree is felled and cut into blocks, which are split 

 longitudinally, when the camphor is found in a concrete state in 

 the fissures of the wood, it is white and transparent. The 

 quantity yielded depends upon the age of the tree ; middle-aged 

 trees yield from 10 to 12 lbs. A more or less quantity 

 of essential oil is also found in the cavities of the wood, 

 which on being crystallised, yields some resin, and a smaU 

 quantity of camphor. This camphor and oil are highly 

 valued in China and Japan, as also in Borneo and Sumatra, 

 and are used chiefly for medical purposes in various ways, 

 and for various complaints, and also for embalming the bodies 

 of the rajahs. 



Another kind of camphor is obtained from. Blu77iea halsctm- 

 ifera, a herb of the Aster section of Compositae, a native of 

 China, India, and other countries of Eastern Asia. It is stated 

 that £3000 worth of this camphor is annually used in the 

 manufacture of Indian ink, to which it imparts its peculiar 

 scent. In China this kind of camphor is called " Ngai," and 

 is also said to be derived from a species of Artemisia. 



Camwood, or Barwood {Baphia nitida), a tree of the Bean 

 family (Leguminos?e), native of Western tropical Africa, attain- 

 ing a height of 40 or more feet Its wood is red, and is largely 



