14 



(rubber, gutta, resin, alkaloids, etc.) in the latex, which are unuti- 

 lizable by the plant, is disproportionately higher than the so-called 

 available food stuffs. The former are, however, no necessary waste- 

 products of chemical change, but are formed at a great expense of 

 organic material. Consequently it must be accepted that the plant 

 produces them to perform a definite function. There are, in fact, 

 proofs that the latex has a prominent oecological significance. It 

 often does the plant good service by closing wounds. In consequence 

 of the poisonous, corrosive and unpleasantly tasting substances it 

 contains, it particularly protects the plant, as numerous experi- 

 ments on euphorbias show, from being eaten by animals." 



The last sentence is hardly applicable to the Para Rubber tree, 

 which either because of or despite its latex is greedily attacked by 

 animals. 



W. J. G. 



CAMPHOR OIL. 



We extract the following from an interesting paper by VICTOR 

 CAYLA in the October number of the "Journal d' Agriculture 

 Tropicale." 



The export of camphor oil from Formosa increased considerably 

 and more rapidly than that of camphor from 1897 to 1901, but 

 since then it has suffered the same fluctuations. The quantity 

 exported in 1905 was about four-fifths that of crystallized camphor. 

 Japan took about one-eighth of the production in 1907, but almost 

 the half in 1901. The price in Formosa is about half that of 

 crystallized camphor, and rose from 3 yen per picul in 1888 to 

 15 yen in 1905. 



The oil is got from the camphor tree of Formosa and Japan, 

 Cinnamomum Camphora Nees ; it forms from two-thirds to three- 

 fourths of the matter entering the condensing vessels in the process 

 of extraction. The yield from a tree is variable ; the more camphor 

 oil the less crystallized camphor, as the latter is soluble in the 

 former. The Japanese method of extraction gives more than the 

 Chinese, and young trees more than old, and the twigs and leaves 

 more than the trunk. Camphor oil is a mixture of pure camphor 

 and essential oils. Formerly camphor oil was treated as valueless, 

 but the rise in the price of camphor has drawn attention to it, and 

 of the application of modern methods withdraws half of it as pure 

 camphor. The remainder can be separated into a light and a 

 heavy oil. The oil is utilized in numerous ways ; it is an 

 excellent solvent of lacquers, varnishes, gums, caoutchouc, etc., and 

 replaces terebinth oil as a cleanser of articles, such as printing type, 

 soiled by fatty inks. The heavy oil is of less value. 



W. J. G. 



