298 



Habitat and Syivicultural Notes. 



Camphor is always found growing on low steep hills or on the 

 lower slopes of high hills. I should say that 8oo feet above sea level 

 would be its limit. 1 have never seen it on low-lying fiat ground. 



In the places where it is found it forms at least 50 % of the grow- 

 ing stock, all age classes are usually represented, though, as is 

 generally found in evergreen virgin jungle, the mature trees out- 

 number the younger age classes. 



I have seen places where there were no intermediate age classes 

 between the mature tree and a fine crop of young natural re- 

 generation. 



Camphor I would class as a 'light demander' and as the tree is 

 usually associa'^ed with B^rtam undergrowth many of the seedlings 

 do not get a chance of surviving. 



Under proper treatment I have no doubt that natural regeneration 

 would yield a very full crop of seedlings. 



An attempt to transplant seedlings to a different place in the 

 jungle met with no success, but I did not see this operation performed 

 myself. In the Rompin district improvement clearings in favour of 

 Camphor have been carried out and the young freed seedlings had 

 put out a leading shoot up to 2' in length in 8 months. 



Products. 



Timber. — The primary use of the Camphor tree is for its timber. 



From measurements extending over a few years it has been 

 calculated that a Camphor tree will reach a girth of 6 feet in lOO 

 years. The timber will float and if the Rompin district was opened 

 up by roads an export trade up to 30,000 tons of timber per annum 

 would be possible, allowing for the forests being maniged under a 

 proper system of sustained yields. 



I might mention here that the Forest Department have reserved 

 2,000 acres and that a further 6o,000 acres is being demarcated this 

 year, containing at least two mature trees per acre. 



Camphor. — The Camphor which is obtained from the tree is 

 known to the Malays by the name of * Isi Kapur.' From enquiries 

 made it appears that about one tree in every 200 trees, both big and 

 small, has this ' isi ' and the amount obtained varies from a few ounces 

 to three catties. The method of extracting the Camphor is to split up 

 the wood and pick the crystals out of small cavities which are found. 

 I have also heard of it being found in the stumps of dead trees. 



In connection \vith this 'isi' there is a superstition that if the 

 men who are looking for * isi ' do not talk a peculiar language while 

 on the search, they will have no luck. I was unable to pick up any 



