186 



Mr. S. A. Owen to Superintendent, Hakgala Botanic Gardens. 



Talawakele, March 30, 1898. 



Dear Mr. Nock, 



Thanks for the parcel of camphor primings duly received. I 

 have made several experiments. The following is the account of 

 method employed and results : — 



***** 



A gallon iron kettle was packed with lb. of leaves and small 

 twigs, together with about two pints of water. The cover of the kettle 

 was luted on and the spout fitted with a cork, while a long glass tube 

 proceeded from the cork to a condenser. Applied heat gradually, and 

 kept it up for five hours. At the end of this time the sides of the con- 

 denser were coated with camphor, and small lumps were floating in the 

 water which distilled over. All the camphor was collected carefully 

 and dried between bibulous paper (to absorb most of the adhering oil). 

 It then weigheed 55 grains, which is equivalent to 12 ounces to the 

 cwt or 151b to the ton. 



I think the results very encouraging, as the leaves and young parts 

 of the camphor tree contain but a very small proportion of camphor 

 compared with the trunk-wood. Indeed, I believe that in Formosa and 

 other camphor-producing countries, it is customar} r to altogether dis- 

 card the branches and leaves and use the mainwood only. 



I should think that planters who have young camphor trees com- 

 ing on here in Ceylon would find it well worth their while to utilise 

 their prunings — -especially if firewood is available and cheap, as this lat- 

 ter item would be practically the only expense, beyond the small amouat 

 of labour required and the initial expense of a still, which latter could be 

 easily extemporised out of almost any kind of large iron vessel to which 

 heat could be applied. As the camphor tree is a long while coming 

 to maturity, considerations of this kind ought to be borne in mind. 



I have pleasure in enclosing a small sample of the camphor ob" 

 tained. As you will see, it has a rather dirty appearance, due to un- 

 avoidable impurity and the sample smells of camphor oil, but these are 

 easily got rid of in the process of refinement. I also enclose a small 

 sample of the same camphor partly purified by sublimation. 



You are, of course, very welcome to make what use you like of this 

 account of these small experiments, whether by publication or otherwise. 

 No doubt it would be encouraging to those who have gone to the ex- 

 pense of planting up camphor treos to know that there is camphor in 

 our locally grown trees. I have heard of one or two misgivings as to 

 whether the soil and climate here would favour the formation of cam- 

 phor in the tree. 



Yours faithfully, 



S. A. Owen. 



[Seeds of the camphor tree (('innamomum (Jamphora) were im- 

 ported a few years ago into Jamaica by the Director of Public Gar- 

 dens and Plantations, and plants were raised in the Hill Gardens and 

 distributed.] 



