5 1 8 Voijage of the Novara. 



Vegetable or tree wax {peJi-lah) is a waxy substance, which 

 tlie coccus pela ov flata limitata deposits, apparently as a pro- 

 tection to its egg's, on a sort of ash tree, on whose twigs and 

 boughs it is deposited like snow-flakes. It is gathered after 

 the first frost, and purified by melting it in a cloth held over 

 hot water. Apparently the process is varied by dipping 

 what has been collected in a silken sack into hot water. It 

 melts at 81° Fahr., and in consequence of its unusual stiffiiess 

 is much used for admixture with bees -wax and other de- 

 scriptions of fats used in the manufacture of tapers. The 

 candles hitherto made in England of this substance have 

 commanded a large sale, and only the circumstance that as 

 yet but a small quantity has found its way into commerce, 

 prevents its being much more extensively cultivated. The 

 price of Peh-lah is rather high, as it fetches about £11 \0s. 

 per 133 lbs. 



Passing from the various natural products furnished for 

 export by China to a consideration of those articles* of 

 European industry, for which the Chinese market supplies 

 an ample demand, we find that their number is considerable, 

 while they represent a value of upwards of £5,000,000. In 

 these pages, however, we propose to notice only that article 

 which is the most profitable, and undoubtedly forms the chief 

 staple of import in all the harbours opened to foreign com- 

 merce, viz, opium. Opium (a-pien), the solidified sap of 



* These consist chiefly of cotton and woollen goods of every description, steel 

 cutlery, iron-ware, glass, clocks, watches, musical clocks, tin-ware, &c. 



