A  m.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
November,  1899.  J 
Editorial. 
phor  in  the  districts  of  Rinkipo  and  Shu  Shu  (Hunliu  and  Chip  Chip),  the 
principal  districts  whence  the  drug  came  to  South  Formosa,  still,  I  am  in- 
formed, continues,  though  to  nothing  like  the  same  extent  as  formerly  ;  but 
all  the  camphor  so  produced  finds  its  way  via  the  port  of  Rokko  (Xokkang)  to 
Tamsui,  whence  it  is  shipped  to  Hong  Kong  and  Japan.  The  roads  north  of 
Rokko  are  said  to  be  perfectly  safe,  so  that  dealers  can  reach  the  neighborhood 
of  Chip  Chip  and  buy  up  any  camphor  that,  under  other  circumstances,  should 
and  would  go  to  the  foreign  firms  in  Tainan,  with  whose  money  the  business 
was  first  started.    Things  may  remedy  themselves  in  course  of  time,  but  the 
outlook  at  present  is  certainly  not  very  bright. 
"  The  following  table  shows  the  export  of  camphor  from  this  port  since,  prac- 
tically, the  commencement  of  the  trade  : 
Years. 
Number  of  Boxes 
Exported. 
4,3i5 
6,691 
12,157 
10,145 
S.ooi 
3,057 
1894  
1896  •  .  . 
Note. — One  box  contains  about  1  picul  (133%  pounds)  of  camphor. 
"  PRODUCTION  IN  CEYEON. 
"The  cultivation  of  the  camphor  tree  has  attracted  some  attention  in  Ceylon. 
But,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  correspondence  which  has  appeared  in. 
the  Ceylon  Observer,  both  it  and  the  production  of  the  drug  are  in  the  experi- 
mental stage. 
"  Superintendent,  Hakgaea  Botanic  Gardens,  to  Editor 
'  Ceylon  Observer.' 
"Botanic  Gardens,  Hakgau,  April  6,  1898. 
"  Dear  Sir  : — Referring  to  your  question  as  to  what  is  being  done  with  cam- 
phor cultivation  in  Ceylon,  I  may  add  the  following  to  what  I  wrote  you  on 
the  nth  of  February  last.  Wishing  to  satisfy  myself  that  solid  camphor  exists 
in  the  leaves  and  twigs  of  even  very  young  plants,  I  sent  a  small  bundle  of 
prunings,  from  plants  planted  out  at  the  end  of  1895,  to  Mr.  S.  A.  Owen,  of 
Messrs.  W.  Jordan  &  Co.,  of  Lindula,  who  had  very  kindly  undertaken  to 
make  the  experiment  for  me.  I  am  pleased  to  state  that  he  has  been  very  suc- 
cessful in  extracting  solid  camphor  from  them  ;  and  as  this  is  of  general  interest 
to  planters,  I  shall  be  much  obliged  if  you  will  be  good  enough  to  publish  Mr. 
Owen's  letter  in  an  early  issue  of  your  paper. 
"The  prunings  from  an  average  plant  28  months  old,  as  grown  here,  weigh 
from  10  to  12  pounds. 
"I  have  a  good  many  plants  that  want  pruning,  and  if  applied  to  before  the 
end  of  this  month,  April,  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  supply  10  or  20  or  35  pounds 
prunings  to  any  person  wishing  to  make  the  experiment  for  himself. 
"lam,  etc.,  "  W.  Nock. 
