278 
South  China  Camphor  Trade. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
April,  1920. 
SOUTH  CHINA  CAMPHOR  TRADE.* 
By  Consul  General  Geo.  E.  Anderson,  Hongkong,  Dec.  12,  1919. 
The  interesting  demand  from  the  United  States  for  suppUes  of 
camphor  from  South  China  is  leading  to  a  very  marked  activity 
on  the  part  of  all  interests  concerned  in  the  trade  and  there  is  every 
indication  that  there  will  be  a  very  large  development  in  the  volume 
of  the  output  from  both  Kwangtung  and  Fukien  Provinces,  where 
there  has  always  been  more  or  less  activity  in  camphor  production 
when  there  has  been  a  favorable  market,  and  also  in  Kwangsi  Prov- 
ince, where  the  production  heretofore  has  been  of  less  importance. 
The  government  officials  of  Kwangsi  Province  at  Kuelin  have 
organized  a  company  for  the  exploitation  of  the  industry  and  have 
established  a  factory  at  that  provincial  capital  with  a  view  to  event- 
ually placing  the  industry  on  a  modem  basis  by  the  introduction 
of  modern  methods,  although  for  the  time  being  the  gum  is  being 
distilled  by  the  old  Chinese  processes  which  give  an  impure  product 
and  are  wasteful.  In  other  respects  the  production  and  export  of 
the  gum  are  being  organized  in  an  effective  way. 
Exports  of  Camphor  to  United  States — Camphor  Oil. — The  export 
of  the  gum  from  Hongkong  is  continuing  on  a  large  scale.  Exports 
to  the  United  States  during  the  month  of  November  amounted  to 
164,575  pounds  valued  at  $309,719,  and  the  total  exports  to  the 
United  States  for  the  year  to  date  are  valued  at  $1,844,391.  An 
effort  is  now  being  made  by  buyers  representing  American  con- 
cerns to  establish  a  trade  in  camphor  oil,  which  usually  contains 
about  60  per  cent,  of  pure  camphor,  as  well  as  other  valuable  con- 
stituents. Camphor  oil  is  already  being  exported  in  a  considerable 
volume  from  the  Kwangtung,  Fukien  and  Kiangsi  field  by  way  of 
Kiukiang  and  the  Yangtze  valley.  It  is  exported  in  cases  contain- 
ing two  old  kerosene  tins,  which  hold  about  65  pounds  to  the  case. 
The  oil,  as  well  as  camphor,  in  the  northern  field,  has  been  controlled 
to  a  greater  or  less  extent  by  Japanese  firms  heretofore. 
Native  reports  indicate  that  the  best  untouched  camphor  tree 
field  in  China  is  in  Kiangsi  Province,  though  the  trees  in  Kwangsi 
Province  have  been  cut  out  comparatively  little.  Great  interest 
has  been  shown  by  a  number  of  investigators  in  the  island  of  Hainan, 
where  the  possibihties  of  camphor  production,  both  from  indigenous 
trees  and  from  planted  groves,  are  being  looked  into. 
*  From  Commerce  Reports,  Feb.  11,  1920. 
