The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-24
TREE IN FLORIDA ]
 SEVERAL GROVES PLANTED

has used several different kinds of ma terial in their construction, but the best results have been obtained with an ap- paratus somewhat similar to that used In the camphor groves of the east. and made almost entirely of wood. For ex- perimental work the following described simple and inexpensive still was found to be entirely satisfactory:
 The retort part of the apparatus is box which is water tight and, as nearly as possible. steam tight It Is made as follows: Four good boards about one and one-half feet long and fourteen inches wide, are nailed together so as to form box without ends Strips an inch or more wide are put around each end to increase the end surface. Then a piece of timed sheet copper Ordinary tin plate or sheet- Iron would answer very welD Is nailed on one end for the bottom, and for the other end, to be the top of the apparatus. wooden cover is made that can be fastened on by bolts passing downward through the strips, and provided with thumb-screws. Cleats are fastened around the inside of the box about three inches from the bottom to support an easily re- movable perforated board. The compart- ment below this board is for the water. and that above it for the camphor ma- terial. A delivery tube made of a piece of bamboo stalk with the joint nlugs bored or burned out Cor wooden tube of any kind) with one end closely fitting a hole made near the top of the box, and inclining, when in place, at an angle of al at d. part of the apparatus.
 The condenser is simply a bucket or pail into which cold water is kept flowing constantly, and the flow is so regulated that the water-level is kept two or three inches from the top of the vessel The outflow opening is below the surface of the water. The lower end of the retort tube Is so adjusted that It VIII be close to the water. The camphor condenses on the water, and in the end of the tube.
 Many of the small seedlings that were set out just after. the freezes of 1ss5-s have grown Into good-sized trees and the growers are looking forward to their coming into profit at an early date. During the last few months there has been con- siderable discussion carried on through the local press as to the prospective profit of the tree and the proper working of the material that 1t will yield for the still, but no distllling for market has been done yet.
 New camphor groves are still being planted, especially in the southern part of the peninsula. One enthusiastic farm CT of De Soto county urges the people of this section to start groves as rapidly as possible, and will plant one of thirty acres himself.
 One drawback to the Florida camphor grove proving profitable property Is the present low price of camphor gum. When the first groves were planted it's price was much higher than at present. And a decidedly unpromising feature in the outlook in this direction is the possibility of artificial camphor becoming very soon a commercial and cheap product
 But if the camphor trees cannot be made to contribute to material wealth 1t can be to comfort and happiness. for 1t is an admirable shade tree, and by It's grace full symmetry, vigorous growth and deep green foliage 1t adds greatly to the beauty and richness of a Florida landscape.
 The camphor material to be distilled leaves, twigs or larger branches-should be cut Into small pieces or crushed in or der that the gum may be the more read- fly expelled by the heat and this may be most quickly and effectually done by put ting the material in strong barrel or box and breaking and crushing 1t with 8 spade or other similar instrument