The camphor is secreted, in the form of coarse crystals, in the hollows and interstices of the body of the tree, especially in tbe knots, and swellings of the branches from the trunk ; but it is not found in every tree, some observers remarking that only about one tree in a thousand appears in a condition favourable to the secretion of the gum. The natives have no means of estimating the quantity of camphor in a tree, and though they know that it increases with age, the latter is always an element of uncertainty with them. Trees in a state of decay often contain the most camphor. The drug is gathered at irregular intervals, according to the fancy of the Rajah on whose territory the trees are. About thirty men start into the forest ; select a place where the trees are most numerous ; and build rude huts, which sometimes form their dwelling for months together. They divide iuto two parties, one felling the trees, the other extracting the eamphor. The tree is cut down just above its roots, divided transversely into several logs, and these again are split with wedges into small pieces, from the crevices of which the camphor, if there be any, is extracted. That which comes away readily in large, semi-tranisparcnt flakes is esteemed the prime sort or "head " ; the smaller clean pieces are considered as " belly " ; and the minute particles, chiefly scraped from the wood and often mixed with it, are called " foot." The last is separated from its impurities by steeping it and washing it in water, sometimes with the aid of soap. It is then passed through sieves or screens of different meshes, in order to make an as.sortment as far FiS regards the size of the grains; but much of the selection is also made by hand, and particular care is taken to distinguish the better kinds from that produced by the artificial concretion of the essential oil. The quantity of camphor yielded by a single tree probably averages about 10 lb. Its commereiul name is Evil,. Barus, the first word signifying camphor, and the second being the name of the Sumatran port whence this article is mostly shipped ; it is sometimes called " bamboo camphor," from the fact of its being transported from the interior in hollow stems of that plant. It is in sueh great demand among the Malays and Chinese for embalming their dead, that it is only met with in Europe as cabinet specimens, the whole produce being consumed in loco. Thus the Chinese export to us their own Formosan product, while they import Eapur Bunts, paying as much as 12/. 10s. a catty (1-1 lb.) for the best quality.
The production of the drug is lessening yearly, and the profitable operations of 1753, when fully 1250 lb. were shipped from Padang, will probably never return. Trees are cut down at random without any being replanted, and this wilful and wasteful destruction will, it is feared, soon place the tree among the past species of the Arehipela go. Propositions have been made to Government to have regular plantations formed in suitable localities (as is done with the teak tree in Java), notably in the district of Ayer Bangie, Ran, and Tapanolie Residence. The plants, four to six days old, may be transported in boxes half filled with wet sand, the contents being kept carefully wet and covered over with linen.
The tree yields several products besides the camphor. First may he eited the well-kno wn camphor oil (q. v. post). The fruit, when fresh and well ripened, is eaten by the natives. The
height of the tree prevents the fruit being gathered, hut when it falls—in March, April, and May— the people go out to collect it. Prepared with sugar, it forms a very tasty preserve. It is said to be very unhealthy to remain near the tree during the flowering season, on account of the extraordinary hot exhalations given off by it. The woud of the tree is very tough and durable, and much valued by the natives for ship-building purposes. Its strong eamphoraceous odour guards it against the • attacks of the hepang, the destructive worm of those seas. It is adapted to making planks, beams, keels, stringers, and timbers, and has been proved iuvaluable for wharves and jetties. From its oiliness, it takes fastenings well, and iron is not liable to rust in it. Its weight is said to be about 70 lb. per cub. ft. At Johare, large steam saw-mills have been erected for the purpose of preparing the wood for export.
The following meagre statistics are all that can be found regarding this camphor :—The quantity imported into Canton, in 1872, WaS stated at 3159 lb., worth about 80s. Et lb. In 1872-3, 2 cwt. were imported into Bombay, valued at 914/. The value of the ploduction in 1873 was £1043 1875 WaS £3179 (about 5 cwt.) 1874 ,, 2578 1876 „ 2337 Blumea, or Ngai third variety of camphor is manufactured in China from the Blumea balsamifera, a tall herbaeeous Composita called Ngai in Chinese, and abundantly distributed throughout tropical Eastern Asia. When in a crude state, the drug appears in dirty-white, crystal line grains, contaminated with vegetable remains; when pure, it takes the form of colourless crystals an inch long. It resembles the Bornese camphor in every particular, excepting in optical properties. Its value is about ten times that of FOYMOSall camphor, and on this score it occupies an intermediate place between the two prineipal varieties of camphor. It is quite unknown in Europe; but in China it is much used, partly for medicine aud pattly for preparing the fine Chinese inks. The manufacture of this kind of eamphor is carried on principally at Canton, the exports from which place are valued at 3000/. per annum.
A camphor-yielding plant which is closely allied to the preceding, if not identical with it, is the Blumea grandis, a native of the Tenasserim provinces, where it flourishes exceedingly, and grows to a height of 6 or 8 ft. Its leaves resemble those of the mullen, and, when braised, emit a strong camphoraceous odour. Many years ago, the Tavoyers informed Mr. Mason that they were in the habit of making an impure camphor from the weed by a very sitnple process. Latterly, this has been improved upon by an Englishman, and the article has been brought into public notice. More than 100 lb. of it were refined and sent to Calcutta, and could not be distinguished from Chinese camphor. The plant is 'so abundant in the Provinces that they might supply half the world with camphor ; wherever trees are cut down, this weed springs up.
Other the three principal Camphors of commerce, the following are more or less known in perfumery and pharmacy, viz. :— Barosimi Camphor.—The leaves of Barosma betulina yield on distillation about per cent. of a volatile oil, which solidifies on exposure to cold, and, after re-solution in alcohol, forms needle-like crystals, possessing a nearly pure peppermint odour.