130 EXPERIMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS 



determined therefore to examine this point more accurately, 

 and with this intention, the experiments of which I fend you 

 an abftracl were performed. Some other fubjecls however 

 having at that time occupied me, I had almoft forgotten my 

 analy lis of the myrtle wax, until in looking over the 131ft No. 

 of the Annates de Chimie, I found that the fubject had been 

 But more fully treated in an ample manner by M. Cadet. This circumftance 

 by Cadet. induced me to recur to my Papers, in order to compare my 



experiments with thofe of M. Cadet ; when I found that 

 though his memoir contains a very complete account of the 

 natural hiftory of the fubftance, yet that my chemical analyfis 

 was more minute. On this account I conceive, that if you 

 have any intention of inferting in your Journal * a tranflation 

 of M. Cadet's effay, my communication may prove, a ufeful 

 fupplement. 



I am, 



Your obedient fervant, 



JOHN BOSTOCK. 



Defcnption and Analyfis of Myrtle Wax. 

 Obvious proper-. The peculiar fubftance obtained from the Myrica Ccrifera 

 wax. °f Linnaeus f, and which has obtained the name of myrtle 



wax, is a concrete body, of moderate hardnefs and conlift.- 

 ence ; it has in part the tenacity of bees wax, though without 

 its uncluofity ; along with this, it alfo poffefTes, in fome de,- 

 gree, the brittlenefs of the reiins. The colour of the myrtle 

 wax is a pale green ; the fhades of the different pieces are 

 however fomewhat varied ; in moft of them, the green has a 

 tendency to a dirty grey ; in others, it is lighter, more trans- 

 parent, and of a yellowifh tinge. Its fpecific gravity is about 

 1,0150, water being 1,0000, and white bees wax, 9600. It 

 is fufed at a temperature of 109® ; by fufficiently increafing 

 the heat, it burns with a peculiarly clear, white flame, pro- 

 duces little fmoke, and during the combuflion emits an agree- 

 able aromatic odor. 

 Habitudes with The following are its habitudes with the different re-agents. 



reagents. j # Water has no aclion upon the myrtle wax, either when 



Water ha» no ., ■ , , .... , . 



a&ion. c °ld or at the boiling heat. 



* The reader will iind it in the prefent Number. N. 

 f Martyn's edition of Millar's Dictionary. 



Alcohol, 



