312 curious or useful plants. 



3. u Alcohol does not dissolve any portion of the wax, unless 

 heat be applied. 



" Two fluid ounces of boiling alcohol, specific gravity 0*826, dis- 

 solve about ten grains of the wax, of which eight grains are depo- 

 sited as the solution cools, and the remaining two grains may be 

 afterward precipitated by the addition of water, or may be obtained 

 unaltered by evaporating the alcohol. 



" The solution of the wax in alcohol has a slight green tinge. 

 4 " Sulphuric ether, specific gravity 07563, dissolves a very mi- 

 nute portion of the wax, at the temperature of fjO. 



" Two fluid ounces of boiling sulphuric ether dissolve thirty 

 grains of the wax, of which twenty-six grains are deposited by cool- 

 ing the solution, and the remaining four grains may be obtained by 

 allowing the ether to evaporate spontaneously. 



5. " The fixed oils very readily dissolve the wax at the tempera- 

 ture of boiling water, and form with it compounds of an interme- 

 diate consistence, very analogous to those which are obtained with 

 common bees-wax." 



From the detail of experiments, it appears, that, although the 

 South American vegetable wax possesses the characteristic proper- 

 ties of bees'-wax, it differs from that substance in many of its che- 

 mical habitudes ; it also differs from the other varieties of wax, 

 namely, the wax of the myrica cerifera, of lac, and of white lac. 



The attempts made by Mr. Brande to bleach the wax were con- 

 ducted on a small scale; but from the experiments related, it ap- 

 pears, that, after the colour has been changed by the action of very 

 dilute nitric acid, it may be rendered nearly white by the usual 

 means. He had not had sufficient time to ascertain whether the 

 wax can be more effectually bleached by long continued exposure ; 

 nor had he had an opportunity of submitting it to the processes em. 

 ployed by the bleachers of bees'-wax. 



Perhaps the most important part of the present inquiry is that 

 which relates to the combustion of the vegetable wax, in the form 

 of candles. 



The trials which have been made, to ascertain its fitness for this 



purpose, are extremely satisfactory ; and when the wick is properly 



proportioned to the size of the candle, the combustion is as perfect 



and uniform as that of common bees'-wax. 



The addition of from one-eighth to one-tenth part of tallow is 



