Z22 WAX. 



into cold water contained in a vessel placed 

 underneath. As the melted wax runs through the 

 cullender upon the revolving roller, the motion of 

 the cylinder forms it into thin shavings, which 

 cool as they come in contact with the water, and 

 fall in an accumulated heap into the water below. 

 These shavings of wax, being now in a suitable 

 form for absorbing oxygen, are taken out of the 

 tub, and exposed in a field to the action of the 

 atmosphere, till they become sufficiently white." 



Bees-wax forms a considerable article of com- 

 merce, and large quantities of it are annually im- 

 ported into this country from the Baltic, the 

 Levant, the Barbary Coast, and North America. 

 In some parts of Europe and America wax is very 

 extensively employed in the religious ceremonies 

 of the inhabitants. Humboldt informs us that 

 upwards of 80,000 pounds worth is annually im- 

 ported from Cuba to New Spain, and that the 

 total export from that island in 1803 was worth 

 upwards of 130,000/. By far the greater part of 

 this wax is the produce of the hive-bee, though 

 no inconsiderable quantity is procured also from 

 various species of wild bees, as well as from 

 certain trees which I shall notice presently. 



Upon this subject a modern writer, after la- 

 menting the increasing neglect of bee-culture in 

 this country, has not hesitated to use the follow- 

 ing contemptuous, though somewhat extravagant, 



