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melt again at about 20°, and we take this opportunity of once more 

 calling special attention to this fact. 



Borneol remains one of the most thankless products of our industry, 

 the prices having now reached a level at which they no longer leave a 

 profit to the manufacturer. It is a well-known fact that there has been 

 senseless over-production in this article, which has been carried to a point 

 at which most manufacturers were glad of the chance of ridding themselves 

 of their surplus-stock at cost-price. 



Two American Consular Reports dealing with the production of 

 borneol in the East have appeared. The U. S. Consul at Sandakan, 

 Borneo, states 1 ) that the parent-plant, Dryobanalops Camphora, only occurs 

 there sporadically, to the extent of perhaps one or two trees of this 

 species among 30 or 40 trees of different kinds, and of these Borneo- 

 camphor trees at most one in a hundred contains borneol crystals, the 

 presence of which is not revealed by any external indication whatsoever. 

 Hence, in order to find out whether they contain borneol, it is necessary 

 to try the trees singly: if upon being tried with an axe they are found to 

 be odourless they are simply left standing. Hence trees often occur in 

 which three or four successive collectors have left axe-marks one above 

 the other. Trees growing near rivers, after being felled, are cut up into 

 logs, which are floated down to Sandakan and worked up for timber, the 

 wood being much esteemed for building purposes because it is less sub- 

 ject to the attacks of white ants than are other woods in the island. 

 Wood with a strong odour of borneol is made into wardrobes, as the 

 odour keeps away insects. Some years ago we gave detailed particulars 

 from an English Report 2 ) concerning the collection of borneol and it is 

 therefore unnecessary to enter into further detail on this subject. As 

 regards market-conditions we learn that in the East the price of borneol 

 reaches up to $30 p. lb. The exports from British North Borneo, via 

 Sandakan, amounted in 1908 to 11627b lbs. value $ 18271 (= $ 15,71 per lb.) 

 and in 1909 to 1844 lbs. value $ 21 037 (= $ 11,41 p. lb). 



The above values are those accepted by the controllers of export duties. 



The independent States of Sarawak and Brunei also produce Borneo 

 camphor, but no figures concerning the production and export there are 

 available. The trees, however, are more numerous there and are worked 

 by the same methods as in other parts of Borneo. 



A report by the U. S. Consul at Calcutta 3 ) gives details of the borneol- 

 production in Burma, where the drug is derived from Blumea balsamifera 

 (N. O. Composite). 



a ) Special Consular Reports, Vol. XLIII, Part. Ill, p. 6. Washington 1910. 



2 ) Comp. Report April 1905, 99. 



3 ) Daily Consular and Trade Report of 27 th January 1911, p. 346. 



