: iK< I. XIV. WAX. 429 



around forms a partial and temporary atmosphere 

 which is inflammable ; for if a lighted candle or 

 other ignited body is brought near to the plant, 

 especially in the time of drought, its atmosphere 

 immediately take fire. This phenomenon was first 

 observed by the daughter of the celebrated Lin- 

 naeus, and is explained by supposing the partial and 

 temporary atmosphere to contain a proportion of 

 wax exuded from the plant, and afterwards reduced 

 to vapour by the action of the sun. The result of 

 its combustion in oxygene gas was, according to 

 Lavoisier, carbonic acid and water, in such propor- 

 tion as to lead him to conclude that JOO parts of 

 wax are composed of 82*28 of carbon and 3772 of 

 hydrogene. But owing to the little action of acids 

 upon it, there seems reason to believe that it con- 

 tains also oxygene as an ingredient.* 



Wax possesses all the essential properties of a 

 fixed oil. But fixed oils have the property of be- 

 coming concrete, and of assuming a waxy ap- 

 pearance when long exposed to the air, in conse- 

 quence, as it seems, of the absorption of oxygene. 

 Wax therefore may be considered as a fixed oil 

 rendered concrete, perhaps, by the absorption of 

 oxygene during the progress of vegetation. 



But if this theory is just, the wax may be ex- 

 pected to occur in a considerable variety of states 

 according to its degree of oxygenation ; and this 

 is accordingly the case. Sometimes it has the con- 

 * Thomson's Chemistry, vol. iv. p. 30?. 



