16 — 



India France Germany United States United Kingdom Tota 



1905 



53000 



58000 



12000 



1 00 000 



26000 



262000 



1904 



82000 



71000 



15000 



128000 



8000 



323000 



1903 



61000 



37000 



68000 



117 000 



50000 



361 154 



The deficiency in the Formosa production appears to be chiefly 

 due to the indiscriminate cutting-down of the trees which has taken 

 place there during the last few years, and which must have caused 

 considerable damage to the camphor-forests. This seems to be borne 

 out by a proclamation issued in June of this year by the Governor- 

 general of Formosa, General Sakuma, in which the peasants were 

 strongly urged to devote their attention more to the camphor production, 

 and to improve and extend as much as possible by new cultivation 

 the plantation which had greatly suffered from the system of irrational 

 exploitation hitherto in vogue. The proclamation also mentions that 

 new cultivations covering an area of isooko (1 ko = about z 1 ^ acres) 

 have been commenced, and that it was intended to extend these, 

 provided the Government received the necessary support from the 

 peasants. How much time will elapse before these new forests are 

 productive, and whether the call on the peasants will meet at all with 

 a sympathetic response, it is of course at present impossible to say. 



The following translation of an article which appeared in the 

 "Taiwan Nichi Nichi Shimpo" (Formosa Daily News) of the I st of 

 February and was forwarded by the British Consul at Tamsui, may 

 be of interest to persons dealing in camphor. 



The previous prices, which have now been increased, were as 

 follows (per picul = 133V3 lbs.): — 



District 



Crystallised camphor 



I st grade 2 nd grade 



3rd grade 



Camphor 

 oil 



Gilan, Shinko, Toyen, Shinchiku, 

 Bioritsu,Taichu, Nanto,Toroku 



Kagi 



Taito 



Yen 



30,00 

 31,00 

 32,70 



Yen 



2 7,00 

 2 8,00 

 29,70 



Yen 



24,30 

 25,30 

 2 7,00 



Yen 



15,00 

 15,50 

 16,30 



There was great shortage in the production last year, and as the 

 more easily accessible trees have nearly all been cut down, and the 

 head-hunters still continue to make attacks on unprotected workers 

 who advance too far into the camphor-forests, the Monopoly Bureau 

 thought it advisable to stimulate producers and giving them better 

 protection against the savages. 



The Monopoly Bureau and their selling agents, Messrs. Samuel, 

 Samuel & Co., have not disclosed whether any difference has been 

 made in the price at which the camphor is handed over to them. 



