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BRAZILIAN COTTON 



One Carnauba tree gives from 10 to 14 leaves (" palhas ") at the 

 first cutting (" corte "), and five to six leaves at the second cutting. 

 Generally three cuttings are made, the first in October, the second in 

 December, and the third in Februar3^ The latter is sometimes 

 omitted if rains set in. Four trees give about 100 leaves in the year 

 and from 100 leaves is produced, more or less, one kilo of wax. 



The leaves are classified into " palhas " and '" olhos " (eyes). 

 " Palhas " are the fully opened-up fan-shaped leaves, whilst " olhos " 

 are the young bright green leaves, standing upright and not yet 

 opened up. The latter provide the best quality. Great care must 

 be exercised in separating the young leaves from the old ones before 

 preparing them. 



The leaves are cut from the high trees by means of a knife 

 (" clinchete " or '" foice ") attached to a long pole ("vara") com- 

 posed of various lengths, each of which has a name, viz. : " pe da 

 vara," the bottom length. " macaco " the second, " soin " the third, 

 " guariba " the fourth, "' crescentao " the fifth and " emmenda " 

 the sixth. Two people will cut, collect and spread out 2,000 leaves 

 in 12 hours. The leaves are dried in the sun during four days, when 

 they are taken into a shed (" estalleiro ") and slashed by a man into 

 long strips and beaten by a woman. 2,000 leaves are treated in this 

 way in 12 hours. The dust falling out from the cut leaves is taken in 

 a clay bowl (" caco de barro ") over a fire, M^here it is soaked v.'ith 

 some water, or when the dust is put into the bowl in a dry state, it is 

 heated to melting point. In both cases the wax, Avhilst still hot, is 

 filtered. The caked wax is packed in strong jute bags. 



This primitive method of extracting the wax ought to be re- 

 placed by some more advanced mechanical means. 



