The Opelousas courier., 1892-07-09
GROWING CAMPHOR TREES
EFFORTS TO CULTIVATE THEM IN
THE UNITED STATES.

THE UNITED STATES.
The Tree FIourishes in the South and
in California-How the Gum is
Extracted From the WooA.
u STEADY increase in the price
of camphor directs attention to
~ the various efforts that have been
made to domesticate the tree of
China and Japan in tue United States.
Several explanations have been given
to account for this advance. One theory
is that anufacturers of smokcless
powder have used immense quantities Of
camphor, another is that makers of cellu-
loid goods have taken the surplus stock,
and more too; Il third explanation is
that the supply Of camphor and the
growth of the trees in Southern Japan
have decreased of late years. Whatever
the cause may be, the fact remains that
the price of gum camphor is now double
what it was ten years ago.
The cultivation of the camphor tree
in this country is 20 new thing. Ever
since the establishment Of the Depart
ment of Agriculture these trees have
been distributed yearly to a greater or
less extent. But it is only within the
last four or five years that camphor trees
have been sent out in large numbers. Mr..
William Saunders. Superintendent of the
Gardens at Washington, D.. c., states
that the distribution has averaged 5000
plants annually. Last year something
like 5000 plants were distributed by the
Department of Agriculture, So it would
seem that the high price of camphor has
had the effect of redoubling previous eff
forts to domesticate the tree in suitable
localities.
The camphor tree fourishes well in
several regions of the United States. 1t
grows to a considerable size and beauty
in those Southern States that border Oh
the Gulf. In fact, most of the trees
have been sent to Florida and Texas,
where they answer a good purpose as
shade trees. Thus far little effort has
been made to extract camphor from the
branches for commercial purposes.
Another region where the camphor tree
hourishes is i'll California, especially
along the Pacific Coast. Many of the
trees sent out there years ago have grown
very rapidly, thus, in Yuba County, in
fourteen years, a tree attained to a hight
of fifty feet. The camphor tree is ar
evergreen, and, or account of its beauty,
it will have its use as q shade tree. Be-
sides the especial advantage of the tree
for ornament alone, SO botanists say, is
its exemption from insect parasites,
which i'll the coast region bother all Out
indigenous evergreens and stunt their
growth.
The camphor tree stands the coast eli
mate as far north as Carolina. Some
years ago a large number of trees were
raised in the gardens at Washington
from seed sent from South Carolina. The
seeds are often sown in a garden border,
and in the first season will reach to a
hight of from eighteen to twenty-eight
inches. The plants are raised IN the
nurseries of the Department. The cam
phor tree will stand a good frost without
injury; no place where the thermometer
falls below twenty degrees Fair. is fitted
for the growth of this tree.
The Interior motive in DEMONSTRATING
the camphor tree in the United States is,
of course, with the idea of extracting
gum for commercial purposes. The
supply of trees is yet too limited to try
the experiment on a commercial scale.
The japanese method of extracting the
gum from the wood has been described
briefly as follows: After a tree is felled
it is cut up into chips, which are laid in
a tub or a large iron pot, partially filled
with water and placed over a slow fire.
Through holes in the bottom of the tub
steam slowly rises, and, heating the
chips, generates oil and camphor. From
the close-fitting cover over the tub, a
bamboo pipe leads to a succession of
other tubs with bamboo connections, and
the last of these tubs is divided into two
compartmen ono above the other, the
dividing floor being perforated with
small holes to allow the water and the
oil to pass to the lever compartment.
The other compartment is supplied with
a straw layer, which catches and holds
the camphor in crystal in deposit as it
passes to the cooling process. The
camphor is then separated from the
straw, and packed in wooden tubs. This
is said to be a slow and wasteful method,
and, if only to show American enterprise
and ingenuity, we might mention tnst,
last year improved machinery for distill-
ing camphor was shipped from Pitts
burgh to Hiogo, Japan.
The Department of Agriculture will
soon have several thousand plants to
distribute among individuals who reside
in regions where the trees are likely to
flourish, and who may apply for them.
Persons who desire to have these orna-
mental and useful trees would do well to
communicate with the Department, aud
to receive the suggestions of experts on
the matter. Now York Independent.
The Private and the Bear.
Private Mcnamara, OF the Fourth
re- 49,