CHEMICAL SCIENCE. 207 



about half made ; when they are again allowed to cool and set for a 

 time, after which the candles are rolled on a slab of marble. The 

 upper part of the candle is formed by cutting away the wax down to a 

 melted tag, which covers one end of the wick. The candles are then 

 again suspended to hoops, the end of the wick, which had previously 

 hung downwards, being now upwards ; and the process of pouring on 

 melted wax is again repeated, and the candles finished to the desired 

 size, when they are again submitted to the process of rolling between 

 two smooth surfaces ; the lower ends are cut off, and the candles are 

 finished. The bees-wax employed before being thus used, is bleached, 

 and is generally mixed with a quantity of spermaceti. 



The next class of candles to which attention was called, was sperma- 

 ceti. This material in the manufacture of candles is mixed with about 

 three per cent, of bees-wax, to prevent the spermaceti crystallizing. 

 Formerly, spermaceti candles were inferior to those made of wax, the 

 same class of wick being used. Some years ago, platted wicks were 

 substituted for the twisted wicks before employed ; this was a great 

 step to improvement. Platted wicks have a tendency to turn out of 

 the flame while being consumed, the effect of which is to cause the 

 wicks to be burned away, rendering the use of snuffers unnecessary. 

 Since that time, spermaceti candles, in place of being considered infe- 

 rior, are preferred by many to candles made of wax. They are made 

 by pouring the melted material into pewter moulds, in which platted 

 wicks are first inserted, and retained securely to the centre of the 

 moulds. Mr. Carpmael next called attention to the manufacture of 

 tallow candles " dips " and " moulds." The former are made, as is 

 generally known, by suspending several wicks a short distance apart 

 (each consisting of several cotton yarns) on a rod ; the wicks are 

 dipped several times into melted tallow ; the coats thus taken up are 

 allowed to cool and set. The mould candles are produced by pouring 

 the melted tallow into pewter moulds in which the proper wicks (each' 

 of several cotton yarns) are first fixed centrally. These wicks require 

 snuffing. A great improvement was some years back introduced into 

 this manufacture by employing cords of cotton as wicks, which are 

 coiled spirally round wires. The wires and the coiled wicks are intro- 

 duced into moulds, and the wires are withdrawn when the tallow 13 

 set. These candles will, however, only burn in lamps, the turning out 

 of the wicks melting the candles down on one side. This improvement 

 introduced a new manufacture of lamps, called candle-lamps, which of 

 late years have greatly increased in use ; various sizes of candles being 

 now made, some having as many as four wicks, and suitable for large 

 table lamps. This manufacture has been greatly improved by the intro- 

 duction of several means of making wicks which will turn out of the 

 flame, and yet will admit of being introduced in a straight line within 

 a candle. Attention was called to several descriptions of wicks for this 

 purpose ; they all act, however, on one principle, that of having a pre- 

 ponderance of strength on one side, which may be done in a great 

 variety of ways. One of the most simple is the ruling of a line on one 

 side with paste, which gives additional stiflhess or strength to that one 

 side, and such wicks in burning turn out of the flames. Following out 



