The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-03-16
PROFIT
IN CAMPHOR
RAISING
Crop is Sure and More Mon
ey in it Than in an
Orange Grove.

The Times has published many ar
ticles advocating the culture OF the
csmphor tree in Florida for its com
mercial value, as well as for its beau
ty-for it is one of the most beauti
full trees growing in this latitude. says
the Tampa Times. There are many
fine trees growing in the city and
vicinity, particularly on Nebraska
avenue. They were FIRST introduced
here, it is believed, by Judge Charles
Donovan, who has a number of fine
specimens on his place on the avenue
named.
In this connection an interesting
article is found in the Wauchula Ad
vocate from the pen of DR.. F. Y.
Hanna, which is herewith reproduced:
'On the label on the. back of q
shelf bottle for camphor is yet the
cost mark for that drug, showing that
camphor gum cost 16 cents per
pound at wholesale only few years
ago.
ION the wholesale drug list received
last night the lowest wholesale price
quoted was S1.1o.
.'Why this difference in price? The
source of supply is limited. The
places from which the drug formerly
could be obtained have the supply ex.
hausted Now the whole supply is
obtained from Japan Not only so, but
the Japanese government controls the
traffic and limits the output Only
so much is put out as the government
authorities will allow. The supply is
meant to be short enough to make
the price -exnorbitant. Only seven
million pounds per year are allowed
sold by the government, Two and a
half millions of this come to the Uni,
ted States. mostly western New York.
Such facts as these point out to
us where profitable investment can
be made. Now the promise of the
most paying new investment of
which we know that is especially
adapted to this country is growing
camphor.
ANY one who will notice the fine
specimen trees over the country can
see at once that this country is adap-
ted to the growth. Wauchula has in
the town a growing tree about three
feet in diameter.
Some of the best paying orange
groves in the country were planted
when the planter was assured there
was nothing in orange growing. The
man first on the ground now is indie
pendent. So it will be in camphor
production.
THE United States government is
giving attention TO the matter and
turns to Florida for the field best
suited to the growth. The bureau OF
plant industry will soon De in position
to give much desirable information
regarding culture and management.
"Our people may reap this harvest.
1t is for them. Why not Florida par
ticipate in this matter with Japan?
Why not Wauchula lead in the enter
prise and stand in the front in cam
phor, as well as in vegetables and
fruit"
The Advocate comments editorially
on Dr. Hanna's article as follows:
I'VE especially invite our Florida
readers attention to the article on
camphor by DR.. Hanna on the first
page of this paper. A few years ago
DR.. Mccartney, of Avon Park, made
some experiments with camphor. He
had few barrels of leaves and twigs
of the camphor tree sent to his. labo-
ratory at Rochester, n. Y, where he
distilled them. The experiment con-
WINGED him that there was more
money is raising camphor than in
oranges, and less risk About that
time, however, it was announced that
scientists had discovered a way of
making artificial camphor that was
equal to the real article and at a
small fraction of the cost. This an
nouncement was So posture -. Il
carried conviction, and the doctor
dropped his experiments. Now we
understand that the artificial camphor
is in no way equal to the real article,
and the steady increase in the price
proved that 1t is not We trust that
camphor culture will have the careful
consideration of our enterprising hor-
ticulturiSts."