FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
150 
resulted in an order from the president 
of the company for 500,000 pounds of 
Florida camphor at $1.00 per pound. But 
unfortunately it was not procurable, and 
we are out that^$500,000. (Laughter.) 
The gentleman from the experimental 
station came down, later to experiment in 
Huntington. I was only too willing to 
offer him all the facilities I had for the 
experiment, as this was such an important 
question, and should be pushed forward. 
In six weeks time he (and his assistant) 
returned to Washington and purified this 
camphor. I had gotten 1.42 per cent of 
camphor from my own trees but am told 
they can do better at Washington. I did 
not expect to go into the matter very 
thoroughly, but just pass this information 
along. 
Other trees may be cut down by severe 
cold, and that is the end, but not so with 
the camphor trees, as we can use them 
even four months after they are cut down. 
I used some old trees that had been cut 
down three months, and obtained 1.021 
per cent of camphor, so I know that this 
is true. So, if we go extensively into the 
business, and a severe frost cuts down 
the trees, we can still obtain the cam¬ 
phor from them. 
I wish to call attention to the value the 
camphor tree will be to us within the next 
ten years. It will be worth millions of 
dollars, if we only take hold of it. Japan 
has all the trade now, but can we afford 
to let her keep it? If Japan says they must 
pay $2.00 per pound for their camphor, 
we, who are obliged to have it, will be 
obliged to pay. And if she says we can¬ 
not have any at any price we will not 
get it. If we do not stop the growth of 
camphor in Formosa, for use in this 
country, it means the loss to us of mil¬ 
lions of dollars. 
I will take my chances on the camphor 
growing. It is surprising what can be 
done, and the only thing we need worry 
about is that this Cynthetic camphor may 
be made. Yet if it should be, we still 
have our ornamental trees. 
I would like to have the opinion of 
this association on this subject. 
Scattered about in different parts of 
Putnam county are groves of these trees, 
varying in size from a dozen trees to 
several acres. If we can get the govern¬ 
ment to take the matter up, you see of 
what great importance it will be to us. 
I have offered them every inducement to 
come to Huntington and experiment on 
my trees. I am willing for them to cut 
them down, dig them up, or do anything 
they like with them. I would like expres¬ 
sions from this society in favor of having 
this work pushed forward and suggest 
that they show the government their ap¬ 
proval and appreciation of the experi¬ 
mental work being carried on. 
Mr. Steele.—On what character of soil 
is the camphor grown? 
Dr. Walker.—It will grow well on any 
high pine land. I have beautiful trees 
growing on my place at Huntington. The 
cost of extracting the camphor cannot 
yet be determined, as we were only experi¬ 
menting. I do not know how the govern¬ 
ment sample was extracted, but will know 
in the fall, how it was done. In about 
two weeks I expect to have a sample of 
the first celluloid made from this Florida • 
camphor. (Applause.) 
Mr. Steele.—iMr. President, I had a 
large camphor tree that was killed down 
in the freeze of 1899, but now it has 
grown up and is as large as ever. If 
you will give a camphor tree a fair start, 
it will grow right on, almost anywhere. 
There is hardly any soil on which it will 
