— i6 — 



winter in white sand. According to B amber and Willis, the seed, 

 before sowing out, is soaked in a suitable manner for 24 to 48 hours 

 in water, and then sown at a depth of 1 / 2 to 3 / 4 inch. When the 

 plants have attained a height of 1 o to 1 6 inches, they can be planted 

 out for good. The space between the plants varies, according to 

 whether it is desired to obtain the camphor from the leaves or from 

 the wood of the trees; in the former case it may be convenient to 

 plant in the form of hedges, but in the latter, to leave more room 

 between the plants, — say 15 or 16 feet in every direction. The 

 camphor -tree can be propagated not only from seed, but also by 

 layers and shoots. Experiments in this direction will also be made 

 by the Biologico-agricultural Institute. 



Of Dryobalanops aromatica Gartn., which yields the Borneo camphor, 

 there are up to the present only a few young plants in the ex- 

 perimental garden at Amani. As soon as an opportunity presents itself, 

 cultivation experiments will be made on a larger scale. 



According to the information from Amani, it is, however, not con- 

 sidered advisable to plant the composite Blumea balsamifera D. C. 

 (which yields the Blumea camphor) in the German Colony. 



Cananga Oil. In the course of the summer we have received 

 a large consignment of several thousand bottles direct from Batavia, 

 and after having rectified the oil in vacuo, we now offer it for sale. 

 The quality of this parcel is beautiful. The price is calculated as low 

 as possible, but is naturally higher than that of the crude commercial 

 oil which contains a large quantity of resin and impurities, and which 

 on rectification shows a considerable loss. 



Caraway Oil. The abnormal heat and drought have also in- 

 fluenced the Dutch caraway-harvest. Although the yield per acre is 

 on the whole a normal one, the herb of the crop in Zeeland and 

 Brabant, which was cut somewhat too early, is for the greater part 

 stunted, and smaller than usual. But in other districts, and especially 

 in those from which during the last decades we have chiefly drawn 

 our supplies, the fruit is well developed, and shows an abundant 

 content of oil. 



The area planted with caraway has remained stationary during 

 the last few years, and will probably remain so. Whereas previously 

 caraway was cultivated exclusively in North Holland, it has in more 

 recent times found its way to South Holland, but it did not thrive 

 there (probably owing to unsuitable soil) and the cultivation was soon 

 given up. But in the province of Zeeland, where the former cultivation 

 of madder has been replaced by caraway, good results have been 

 obtained; the same is the case in Brabant and Flanders, where many 

 farmers now grow caraway instead of sugar-beet. 



