Feb. 1907.] 65 Otis and Fais. 



Experiments made with the wood of these Californian camphor-trees, when 

 it was distilled with a little water, on condensation of the vapours, actually- 

 resulted in a yield of camphor. The leaves contained about 0'15% camphor of great 

 purity, purer than Japanese or Chinese camphor which must first be purified by 

 refining. The camphcr obtained by heating the wood of the Californian camphor- 

 trees to a higher temperature, was not so pure as the product distilled from the 

 leaves and branches. 



Camphor-trees were planted by the Department of Agriculture in many 

 places, and have grown up to fine, tall, green trees ; they are more weather- 

 resisting than orange trees, for which they served to afford shade. Camphor-trees 

 thrive in the climate of the coast, to the North of Charleston, in South Carolina, and 

 along the Californian coast. It will be left to a later age to derive profit from the 

 camphor-trees planted, as considerable quantities (annually about 0000) are planted 

 out from the nurseries in suitable districts ; but further experiments must show 

 whether the leaves, branches, roots, or the wood of the trunk yield the best cam- 

 phor, and what will be the best camphor, and what will be the most suitable season, 

 the best method of distillation, etc. 



On the occasion of the 6th International Congress for Applied Chemistry at 

 Rome, Giglioli pointed out, in a paper on Italian camphor, that the camphor-tree 

 thrives in almost every district of Italy, except in the neighbourhood of the Alps, 

 and that it would therefore appear desirable to promote the cultivation of this tree 

 in Italy, the more so as it does not make a large demand on the soil. According to 

 experiments made the leaves of the tree are said to yield on the average about 

 1% camphor, whilst the wood, which moreover lends itself exceptionally well for the 

 manufacture of furniture, contains about 0" 1% camphor of inferior quality. 



We have on several occasions, when discussing the camphor industry in our 

 Reports, also referred in a more or less detailed manner to the cultivation of the 

 camphor-tree*), and for this reason we wish to call attention to a most interesting 

 article which deals with the observations made by C. Crevostt) with regard to the 

 cultivation of the camphor-tree in Indo-China. In Tonquin, Kwang-Tcheou-Wan, 

 and especially in Aunam the cultivation of the camphor-tree justifies the most 

 sanguine expectations. Various samples distilled by Aufray, the Director of the 

 Tonquin laboratory, gave the following results as compared with Japan camphor 

 (camphor oil + camphor) ;— 



Kwang 



Japan. Tonquin. Tcheou-Wan. 



Ordinary branches ... 3.70 per cent. ... 3.90 per cent. ... 3.25 per cent 

 Lower portion of trunk... 4,23 do ... 2.70 do ... 3.55 do 

 Roots... ... ... 4.46 do ... 4.60 do ... 3.55 do 



Contrary to the camphor-trees in Japan and in Kwang Tcheou-Wan, those 

 in Tonquin always give a larger yield from the branches and roots than from the 

 trunk. The yield mentioned in the table is, however, exceptionally very small, as 

 the sample was taken from a hollow tree of very medium quality. The information 

 given by Crevost dates already from the spring of 1904, and it may therefore be 

 assumed that the experiments have since been extended. The solution of this 

 question is too important to be neglected, and we hope to be able to return to the 

 subject in our next Report. 



From the Imperial Biologico-Agricultural Exprimental Station Amani it* 

 German East Africa, we recently received a camphor oil which had been obtained 

 in a yield of not quite 1% by distillation of the leaves and branches of camphor-trees, 



♦Reports October 1901, 13 ; October 1904, 15 ; April 1905, 11. 

 {Journal d' Agriculture Tropicalc 6 (1906), 105. 



