AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES, 145 



From those occurring near temples and human habitations, we 

 must, however, distinguish well others in a wild condition. In this 

 state it nowhere crosses the thirty-fourth parallel, confining itself 

 to the mild hill-country near the sea, in Southern Japan. These 

 are parts of Osumi and Satsuma on the Bay of Kagoshima, of 

 Hiuga on the island of Kiushiu, and above all the province of 

 Tosa on the island of Shikoku. Kaempfer and Thunberg say 

 that the tree is frequently to be found, too, on the Goto {Gotho oar, 

 Thunb.). In the regions named it forms a constituent of the ever- 

 green forests, mixed with several other species of the genus Cinna- 

 momum, with laurel-leaved oaks {Qiiercus cuspidata, Qti. acuta, Qu, 

 glauca). Camellia japonica, and other more shrub-like growths. 

 But such stout, old, thick-barked specimens as those in the temple- 

 courts, do not occur anywhere here. 



As to the general geographical distribution of Cinnamomuin 

 Camphoray it only extends over parts of the eastern monsoon 

 region, embracing the coast-countries of East Asia, with many 

 interruptions, from Cochin-China to about the mouth of the Yang- 

 tse-kiang, including the islands of Heinan and Chusan, the island 

 of Formosa, the Riukiu Islands, and the parts of Kiushiu and 

 Shikoku already mentioned ; thus comprising a region between 

 10° and 34° N. Lat., which belongs, therefore, partly to the tropics, 

 partly to the sub-tropical zone. This region is marked by plentiful 

 rainfalls, especially in summer. Hence its climate is especially 

 favourable to a luxuriant development of vegetation. According 

 to all reports, the camphor-tree is found most frequently on the 

 island of Formosa, and most chiefly in the hilly and mountain- 

 ous districts in its north-western portion. Formosa has for a long 

 time furnished the largest amount of camphor, its only other im- 

 portant articles of export being rice and sugar. It used to be 

 brought in junks to Hong-kong, Amoy, or Futschau first, and from 

 there to Europe ; but now it is sent directly from Tamsui. 



In China Proper, Fukien is the province that is richest in camphor- 

 trees. It is to this province and its product that Marco Polo refers 

 (Yule: " Marco Polo," ii. 217), as well as many another later traveller 

 in its forests. These latter still yield annually about 2,500 piculs 

 (150,000 kg.); and the production has been known to reach 4,000 

 piculs (240,000 kg.) in one year. 



Adjoining the area of the Laurinean camphor is that of bor- 

 neol — Baros or Sumatra camphor.^ This species of camphor is 

 found stored in hollows and fissures in the wood of Dryobalanops 

 Camphora, Colebr., a tree of the Dipterocarp family, but seldom 

 in quantities of more than a quarter to one pound to a tree. This 

 camphor-tree grows in Sumatra and West Borneo. Junghuhn speaks 

 of it thus: " Among the forest-trees of Tapanuli (on the west coast 



^ Fluckiger, in his very readable article " Camphora" (Pharmakognosie des 

 Pflanzenreichs, 2. Aufl , p. 148), makes mention also of the Blumea-camphor, 

 which, however, has no connection with Japan. 



11. L 



