67 
SUPERINTENDENT, HAKGALA BOTANIC GARDENS, TO 
EDITOR “CEYLON OBSERVER." 
Botanic Gardens, Hakgala 
April 6th, 1898. 
DEAR SIR, 
FERRING to your question as to what is being done with 
camphor cultivation in Ceylon, I may add the following to what 
rote you on the llth of February last. Wishing to satisfy 
FEART that solid camphor exists in the leaves and twigs of even 
very young plants, I sent a small bundle of prunings, from pase 
planted out at the end of 1895, to Mr. S. A. Owen, of 
W. Jordan & Co., of Land as who had very kindly RE BER n 3 
make the experiment for I am pleased to n that he has 
been very successful in ina am solid camphor from them ; and 
as this is of general interest to planters, I shall be ch obliged if 
you will be good enough to publish Mr. Owen's letter in an early 
issue of your paper 
The prunings from an aromas plant 28 months’ old, as grown 
here, oigh from 10 to 12 Ib 
e a good many plants that want pruning, and if applied to 
before 1 the end of this month, April, I shall be very glad to supply 
10 or 20, or 35 Ib. M dd to any person wishing to make the 
experiment for himse 
I am, &e., 
W. NOCK. 
MR. S. A. OWEN to SUPERINTENDENT, HAKGALA BOTANIC 
GARDENS 
Talawakele, March 30, 1898. 
DEAR MR. NOCK, 
THANKS for the parcel of camphor prunings duly received. 
I have Rp several experi ienis The following is the account of 
method employed and resu idis 
x »* * * * 
A gallon iron kettle was packed with 13 lb. of leaves and small 
twigs, together with about two pints of water. The cover of the 
kettle was luted on and the spout fitted with a cork, while a long 
glass tube proceeded from the cork to a condenser. Applied heat 
gradually, and kept it up for five hours. At the end of this time 
the sides of the condenser were coated with camphor, and small 
lumps were floating in the water which distilled over. All the 
r was erigi. carefully and dried between bibulous 
paper (to absorb most of the adhering oil) It then weighed 
55 Larane, which is er to 12 ounces to the cwt. or 15 1b. to 
1 chink the results Moke encouraging, as the leaves and yot 
parts of the camphor tree contain but a very small Bodo ‘Of 
camphor "compared with the trunk-wood. Indeed, I believe that 
in Formosa and other camphor-producing countries, itis customary 
to Mit othor discard the branches and leaves and use the main- 
wood only. 
