450 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



The Laurus camphora grows to the size of our oak. 

 The leaves of this plant stand upon slender foot- 

 stalks, and have an entire undulated margin, running 

 out into a point. Their upper surface is of a lively 

 and shining green ; the under part is of a yellower 

 green, and of a silky appearance. A few lateral 

 nerves curve towards the margin, frequently termi- 

 nating in small warts or excrescences, a circumstance 

 peculiar to this species of laurel. The foot-stalks of 

 flowers proceed from the axillae of the leaves, but 

 they do not come forth until the tree has attained 

 considerable age and size. The flower-stalks are 

 slender and branch at the top, dividing into very short 

 pedicles, each supporting a single flower. This is 

 white, and succeeded by a shining purple berry of the 

 size of a pea. It is composed of a small kernel en- 

 closed in a soft pulpy substance, having the aroma of 

 cloves and camphor. The bark of the stem of the 

 tree is outwardly somewhat rough, but on the inner 

 surface it is smooth and mucous, and therefore readily- 

 separated from the wood, which is dry and of a white 

 colour, and in much esteem for carpenter's purposes, 

 being easy to work, light, durable, and not liable to 

 be injured by insects *. Some travellers affirm, that 

 the old trees contain camphor so abundantly that on 

 splitting the trunk it is found in the form of large 

 tears so pure as not to require rectification. The 

 usual method, however, of obtaining this substance is 

 from the roots, pieces of which are put into an iron 

 vessel furnished with a capital, or large head ; this 

 upper part is internally filled with cords of rice-straw; 

 the joinings are then luted, and the distillation pro- 

 ceeded upon. On the application of heat the cam- 

 phor contained in the wood sublimes and attaches 

 itself to the straw within the head. The substance 

 thus obtained is purified by mixing an ounce of quick- 

 lime with every pound of the camphor, and subjecting 

 * Marsden's History of Sumatra. 



