TEGETABLE WAX. 301 



2. Pela wax, or " Chinese wax," from Fraxmus chmensis. 



3. Sumach wax, or "Japan wax," from several species of Ehus. 



4. Kaga wax, from Cinnamomun pcdunculaticm. 



5. Ibota ivax, from Ligustrum ihotic. 



6. Stellingia talloio, or " Chinese vegetable tallow," from 

 Stellingia sahifera. 



7. Myrica luax, or " ^lyrtle wax," from Myrica cerifera. 



8. Orizaba wax. 



9. Wax from stick-lac. 



10. Bahia wax. 



(This list could be added to by enumerating various tallows from 

 nuts of the Sapotacccc). 



Alcohol, ether, chloroform, petroleum spirit and alcoholic 

 solutions of potash exert a solvent action on the various 

 kinds of wax met with in commerce, and the behaviour of 

 the solutions with solutions of ammonia, and with alcoliolic 

 solutions of lead acetate and of ferric chloride, has formed a 

 means of distinguishing them from one another. The process is 

 as follows : — A sample of the wax is heated with ten times as 

 mucli chloroform to boiling, and, when completely dissolved, cooled 

 in cold water. 



1. The chloroform solution remains clear after cooling : 



A. Ether effects complete solution. 



(a). Alcoholic solution of ferric chloride gives, with the 

 alcoholic solution of the wax, a precipitate insoluble 

 on heating — wax from Myriccc qicercifolicc. 



(b). Ferric chloride colours alcohol solution black — loax 

 from undctcrminecl species of Myrica. 



(c). Ferric chloride colours brownish, but gives no 

 precipitate — wax from Myrica cerifera; wax from 

 Orizaba. 



B. Ether dissolves only a part. A sample is boiled with ten 



times the quantity of alcoholic potash solution till 

 saponified, and the soap heated with 100 volumes of 

 water. 



