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CAMPHOR—A NEW AMERICAN INDUSTRY 221
better growth, harvesting and refining of
camphor. Right now camphor is grown
in Japan, Formosa, Ceylon, Borneo,
Jamaica, East Africa, India, the United
States, and perhaps in many other countries.
Now as to the growing of the camphor
tree in the United States. The camphor
tree is hardy, it can stand a temperature
that falls to fifteen degrees above zero.
In fact it can stand a good deal colder
weather than can the Southern and Western
fruit groves. A frost that is severe
enough to kill fruit trees will only kill the
smaller branches and twigs of the cam­
phor tree, and then the parts killed can be
distilled and turned into camphor. Even
if the whole trees were frozen and killed
to the ground they would renew themselves
from the roots in one year, according
to S. C. Hood. And even then the
camphor secured from the deadwood
would title the grower through until his
new crop came into bearing, in all
pri 'liability.
The Department of Agriculture estimates
that camphor trees planted in
hedges, fifteen feet apart with the
plants six feet apart in the row.
grown and trimmed to eight feet high,
will give about eight thousand pounds of
trimmings per acre for each two cuttings,
making a total of eight tons per acre each
year. This will give from one hundred
seventy-five to two hundred pounds of
marketable camphor per acre. The usual
yield of pure gum camphor from leaves
and twigs, according to the government
figures, is from 1.35 to 1.50 per cent, calculated
on the green weight of the material.
Just now pure gum camphor is
wholesaling at about eighty cents a
pound. According to the estimate above
THIS HUSKY CAMPHOR TREE IS A FLORIDA PRODUCT
mentioned this would mean that about
$150.00 an acre could be obtained from
the camphor hedges.
Of course these figures are only estimates,
but they are worth the attention of
the farmer who has sandy spots on his
southern land that he might wish to
utilize, especially as a competent authority
predicts that within the next ten years
the camphor industry of the Lmited
States will likely reach twenty-five million
dollars, or even more. It is a matter
well worth considering.