154 INSECT-WAX OF CHINA. 
feed on the fluid within. They soon attain a somewhat large 
size. Early in June they give to the trees the appearance of being 
covered with hoar-frost, being “ changed into waz ;” soon after, they 
are sprinkled with water (probably that they may be the more easily 
detached) and scraped off. If this gathering be deferred till August, 
they adhere too firmly to be easily removed. Those which are suffered 
to remain stock the trees the ensuing season, secrete a purplish en- 
velope about the end of August, which at first is no larger than a grain 
of rice, but as incubation proceeds it expands and becomes as large as 
a fowl’s head. This takes place in spring, when the nests are trans- 
ferred to other trees, one or more to each, according to their size and 
vigour, in the manner already alluded to. On being scraped from the 
trees the crude material is freed from impurities by spreading it on a 
strainer covering a cylindrical vessel, which is placed in a cauldron of 
boiling water. The wax is received into the former vessel, and, on 
congealing, is ready for market. 
This Pe-la, or white wax, in its chemical properties is analogous to puri- 
fied bees'-wax, and also spermaceti, but differing from both in the opi- 
nion of Dr. Macgowan. It is perfectly white, translucent, shining, not 
unctuous to the touch, crumbles into a dry inadhesive powder between 
the teeth, with a fibrous texture, resembling fibrous felspar; melts at 
100? Fahr. is insoluble in water, dissolves in essential oil, and is. 
scarcely affected by boiling alcohol, the acids, or alkalies. This wax 
costs at Ningpo from 22 to 25 cents per pound. The annual pro- 
duet of this humble creature in China cannot be far from 400,000 
pounds, worth more than 1,000,000 Spanish dollars. For particulars 
of the chemical properties of this wax, see the volume of Philosophical 
"Transactions for 1848, where Mr. C. Brodie has a valuable analysis, 
“On the chemical nature of a Wax from China.” In the * Comptes 
Rendus' for 1840, tom. 10, p. 618, M. Stanislaus Julien considers 
this wax to be derived from three species of plants: 1, Niu-tching 
(Rhus succedaneum) ; 2, Tong-tsing (Ligustrum glabrum, L. lucidum ?); 
and the Choui-kin, supposed to be a species of Hibiscus. 
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