CAMPHORA. 517 



tiou of the entire tree ; — in fact, many trees afford none, so tliat 

 to avoid the toil of useless felling, it is now customary to try them 

 by cutting a hole in the side of the trunk, but the observation so 

 made is often fallacious. Spenser St. John, British Consul in Borneo, 

 was told that trees in a state of decay often contain the finest cam- 

 phor.' The camphor when collected is carefully picked over, washed 

 and cleaned, and then separated into three qualities, the best being 

 formed of the largest and purest crystals, while the lowest is greyish 

 and pulverulent. 



Dryobalanops attaining more than 150 feet in height, the quantity 

 of camphor which it yields must necessarily be greatly variable. The 

 statements are from about 3 to 11 lb. 



A good proportion of the small quantity produced is consumed in 

 the funeral rites of the Batta princes, whose families are often ruined 

 by the lavish expense of providing the camphor and buffaloes which 

 the custom of their obsequies requires. The camphor which is exported 

 is eagerly bought for the China market, but some is also sent to Japan, 

 Laos, Cochin China, Cambodia, and Siam. 



The quantity annually shipped from Borneo was reckoned by Motley 

 in 1851 to be about 7 peculs (933 lbs.). The export from Sumatra was 

 estimated by De Vriese at 10 to 15 quintals per annum.^ The quantity 

 imported into Canton in 1872 was returned as 23yV peculs (3,159 lb.), 

 value 42,326 taels, equivalent to about 80s. per lb."* In the Annucil 

 Statement of the Trade of Bombay for the year 1872-3, 2 cwt. of Malayan 

 Camphor is stated to have been imported; it was valued at 9,141 Rs. 

 (£914). In the " Indian tariff," 1875, the duty is fixed per cwt. at 40 

 rupees for crude camphor, 65 rupees for refined camphor, and 80 rupees 

 per pound for Baros camphor (" Bhemsaini camphor"). The price in 

 Borneo in 1851 of camphor of fine quality was 30 dollars per catty, or 

 about 95s. per lb.: consequently the drug never finds its way into 

 European commerce. 



Borneo Camphor, also termed by chemists Borneol or Gar)iphyl 

 Alcohol, is somewhat harder than common camphor, also a little heavier 

 so that it sinks in water. It is less volatile, and does not crystallize on 

 the interior of the bottle in which it is kept; and it requires for fusion 

 a higher temperature, namely 198° C. It has a somewhat different 

 odour, resembling that of common camphor with the addition of patch- 

 ouli or ambergris. The composition of borneol is represented by the 

 formula C'"ff'' (OH). It may be converted by the action of nitric acid 

 into common camphor, which it nearly resembles in most of its physical 

 properties. Conversely, borneol may also be prepared from common 

 camphor. By continued oxydation borneol yields camphoric acid. 



CamjyJior Oil of Borneo — Besides camphor, the Dryobcdanojjs 

 furnishes another product, a liquid termed Camphor Oil, which must 

 not be confounded with the camphor oil that drains out of crude laurel 

 camphor. This Bornean or Sumatran Camphor Oil is obtained by 

 tapping the trees, or in felling them (see also p. 229). In the latter way, 



^ Life in the Forests of the Far East, ii. Rondot's statement (see Cassia Buds) that 



(1862) 272. China inipoi-ts of Barus camphor about 



- In Milburn's time (Oriental Commerce, 800 peculs annually is plainly erroneous, 

 ii. 1813. 308), Sumatra was reckoned to ex- ^ [ieiurns of Trade at the Treaty Ports in 



port 50 peculs, and Borneo 30 peculs a year. China for 1872, p. 30. 



