Visit to Minhou Country : Camphor Trees Transplant

 

This is a camphor tree or zhang tree. I met a forest of camphor trees in Minhou county when I went with my team to write about Lau King Howe. Minhou local government has started to plant a small forest of camphor trees by transplanting old trees from wherever they can get. These newly transplatned trees are fed by "drips" and they survive!!

Camphor has a special smell which reminds me of my grandmother, or ngie mah. Camphor wooden chests are treasured by all Chinese because they keep clothes, books and precious things from getting dated and rot. Even missionaries who brought camphor chests back to the UK still find it amazing .

The original moth balls were made from camphor. They are called Zhang Nao.

However today camphor wood balls are available in good shops. Moth balls made from synthetic camphor can be found every where.

When I was young, people disliked the smell of of moth balls. And often our clothes, including my grandmother's clothes smell of moth balls. Sometimes I hear people say, "Why do Chinese smell of moth balls?" The Foochows actually call moth balls, chao wong, or smelly balls.

Nowadays whenever I miss the smell of moth balls I would go and buy the synthetic ones. But if I do find the authentic camphor moth balls, I would definitely buy some. Perhaps one day Miri will sell some camphor oils.

 I miss my ngie mah's smell.