1 Jan., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 41 
Economic Botany. 
y No. 4. 
- NGAI OR AI CAMPHOR (BLUMEA BALSAMIFERA, DC.). 
By J. F. BAILEY. 
Derivation.—Blumea, after C. L. Blume, a celebrated botanist. The 
specific name means balsam-bearing. 
Description—An evergreen shrub of the Aster Family (Composite), 
sométimes growing ito a small tree. Stem shrubby at the lower part, branches 
woolly villous. Leaves, which smell strongly of camphor, oblong or elliptic- 
lanceolate, toothed on the margin, with narrow lobes in the lower part, thickly 
clothed with silky hairs. Flower-heads rather small, shortly stalked, forming 
smaller or larger panicles in the axils of the upper leaves and gradually trans- 
formed into terminal large panicles; florets yellow, numerous in each head. 
Seeds (achenes) minute, the pappus or down soft, about a quarter of an inch 
long and of a reddish colour. ‘ 
Very abundant in India, South China, and the Islands of Hainan and 
Formosa. 
Oultivation.—The plant should succeed in most parts of the colony. It 
may be propagated from cuttings or raised from seed in a bed set apart for the 
purpose. When ready for planting out, plant in rows 8 feet apart, giving a 
space of 4 or 5 feet between each plant. 
Uses.—Dr. A. Henry, according to Hooker’s “Tcones Plantarum” (from 
which excellent work the accompanying plate is taken), says that from this 
plant is produced in Kwangtung and Hainan the peculiar camphor known to 
the Chinese as ngai-fén, signifying the crude product, and ngazi-p’ien, the 
name given to the refined article. The export from the port of Haihow to 
Hainan of the crude eamphor is about 15,000 lb. annually. This is refined in 
Canton, from which there is an annual export of about 10,000 Ib. of ngai-p’ien. 
Loureiro mentions its use in Cochin China as a stomachie, anti-spasmodic, and 
emmenogogue. : 4 
Tt is also used in the manufacture of the scented kinds of Chinese ink. 
Negai camphor fetches a much higher price than ordinary camphor. 
Preparation.—In a letter to the Royal Gardens, Kew, Dr. A. Henry 
gives the following description, obtained from the Rey. F. P. Gilman, of the 
process employed by the Chinese in extracting the camphor from the plant in 
the Island of Hainan :—The plant is in flower in July and August. During 
the fall and winter months the Chinese of the island, or the aboriginal Lois in 
Chinese employ, collect the young leaves of the plant, which there grows to a 
‘height of 8 or 10 feet. ‘They say they only take the last three joints of the 
branch. The leaves are allowed to remain on the branch, and are wilted for a 
couple of days. They are then placed in the retort, which is a cask about 
2 feet high, open at both ends, and of a diameter suitable to place it over a 
large Chinese frying-pan (say the diameter is 20 inches). The frying-pan is — 
filled with water, and over the water is placed a coarse sieve of woven bamboo 
to separate the leaves from the water. The cask is cemented with clay to the 
edge of the pan, and after receiving its charge of 30 lb. or 40 lb. of the leaves, 
a large brass basin is placed on the upper open end of the cask, and is filled 
with cold water which is frequently changed. ire is placed under the frying- 
pan, and the process of distillation is continued for aboutfour hours. At the 
