— 38 — 



introdu* '"on of the cultivation of the camphor tree in the Federated Malay 



States. We therefore refer to the original publication for details, especially 



in respe i of the plantations and the distilling- practice. 

 ± 



Apparently the Japanese have been seriously alarmed 1 ) by the report 

 that it is intended to lay down extensive camphor plantations in the 

 "Southern Spates of America" (probably meaning the Southern United 

 States) and fears are again entertained as to the continuance of the Japanese 

 Monopoly. Bqt, as if to dissipate these fears, it is also reported that the 

 two new Japanese celluloid works would be able, in the event of their 

 favourable further development, to absorb the entire Japanese camphor 

 production. It is to be added, however, that the informant from whom 

 the American paper quotes this news is himself doubtful whether the 

 works in question will be able permanently to carry on their business 

 at a profit. 



R. T. Baker 2 ) the well-known Botanist, has read a paper at Sydney 

 on the native camphor trees of Australia. According to Baker the species 

 of the genus Cinnamomum which have so far been recorded in Australia, 

 are endemic, and not identical with any Indian species, as maintained by 

 some systematists. Baker not only founds his classification upon mor- 

 phological indications, but also on the anatomy of the bark and on the 

 chemistry of the timber and of the oils obtained from the leaves and bark. 

 Baker has found that, similar to a plan advanced by himself and Smith 3 ) 

 many years ago for the different Eucalyptus species, a certain agreement 

 exists between the vHnation of the leaves and the chemical constitution 

 of the essential oil of the leaves. This fact enables the oil-distiller, by 

 the simple experiment of observing the disposition of the veins, to as- 

 certain what class of oil can be obtained from them, and it is therefore 

 of considerable practical importance, especially since the phellandrene 

 oils of the eucalypts have recently found employment on a considerable 

 scale in the treatment of refractory ores 4 ). The presence of phellandrene 

 in oil from the leaves is indicated by the very oblique lateral venation of 

 the leaf. It has been ascertained that of the Cinnamomum species which 

 have so far been investigated in Europe and Australia those which contain 

 camphor have penniveined leaves, while leaves with a tri-nerved venation 

 yield a camphor-free oil. The importance of this difference is evident. 

 In its Cinnamomum-trees Australia possesses a native source of camphor 

 which as yet remains unexplotted. From the leaves of C. Oliveri a high 

 camphor-yield has been obtained, and camphor is also present in the 



x ) Oriental Physician and Druggist 4 (1910), No. 36, p. 7. 



2 ) From a private communication kindly made to us by the Author. 



3 ) Comp. Report April 1902, 41. 



4 ) Comp. the present Report, p ' 



