298 ODOEOGIIAPIIIA. 



In South Africa, the wax is extracted from the berries by putting 

 them in a pot of boiling water, Stirling gently and skimming the 

 surface with a ladle. The wax is strained whilst hot through 

 coarse cloths and moulded into cakes. The wax separates from the 

 berries and can be skimmed off within about five minutes of the 

 time of putting the l)erries into the water. Xot many berries are 

 thrown in at a time so as to allow the wax to find its way easily to 

 the surface. 



" Columbian wax" is prepared in the same way from Myrica 

 microcarpa, Benth. There are several other species of Myrica 

 abundant in Jamaica and St. Domingo, which also yield wax. 

 Specimens of some of these products are in the Kew Museum and 

 the Museum of the Pharmaceutical Society. 



The variety of this wax known as '' Ocuba wax " is obtained 

 from one of the Myricas in the province of Para, on the banks of 

 the Amazon, Brazil. 



According to Moore,"^ it is composed of one-fifth of Palmitine 

 and four-fifths of free Palmitic acid and a small quantity of Laurie 

 acid. 



The melting point of Myrtle wax has been recorded as 43° C. by 

 Guibourtt; as 47-o'-^ C. by Lervy, and as 49° C. 1;)y Chevreuil. 

 Guibourt states that its melting point can be raised by keeping it 

 in prolonged contact with boiling water or by exposure to the air 

 in thin layers for the purpose of bleaching it, but its melting puint 

 would still not be higher than 49° C. For the manufacture of 

 perfumed candles, this wax can be hardened and its melting point 

 raised by the addition of " Carnauba wax." 



Carnauba Wax (also called " Ceara " and Brazil Wax) is 

 a fragrant production of the Coj^ernicia cerifera, Martins, the 

 " Wax Palm of Brazil." This palm attains a height of 30 to 100 

 feet, and has a trunk 6 or 8 inches thick. The leaves arise from 

 the summit of the trunk, they are of a bright green colour, fan- 

 shaped, and terminate at the apex in sharp points. The solitary 

 flowers along the spadex are very small, hermaphrodite, with a 

 three -petalous corolla, externally of a green, internally of a 



* Journ. de Pliann. et de Chim., xli., p. 458. 

 t Hist, des Drogues, ii., p. 281. 



