VIRGINIA MYRTLE. 245 



berries are collected, a certain quantity is thrown 

 into the boilers, to which water is added in such a 

 proportion as to rise about six inches above them. 

 The whole is then boiled, and during this operation 

 the berries are constantly stirred and pressed against 

 the side of the vessel, in order to facilitate the sepa- 

 ration of the wax: this soon rises to the surface in 

 the form of oil, which is carefully skimmed off and 

 strained through a piece of coarse cloth. When no 

 more wax appears, the exhausted berries are with- 

 drawn from the water, fresh ones are added, and 

 they, in their turn, despoiled of their produce, give 

 place to others, and so on in succession. During 

 this process the ebullition is never checked, as boil- 

 ing water is constantly supplied in proportion to the 

 quantity lost by evaporation. The wax thus ob- 

 tained is placed on a piece of linen cloth to be 

 drained, and entirely separated from that portion of 

 water which had been unavoidably removed with it. 

 When dry it soon assumes the consistence of wax, 

 and appears of a dirty green colour. It is then 

 clarified and moulded into cakes, which are nearly 

 transparent. 



From each of the best shrubs seven pounds of 

 these berries may be collected, which commonly 

 produce a fourth of their weight of wax. 



This substance, on being analyzed by M. Cadet, 

 was found to be more consistent than the wax made 

 by bees ; it is drier and so friable that it may be 

 reduced to a powder, and it is manifestly more oxy- 

 genated. It has the tenacity without the unctuosity 

 of bees'-wax, and partakes in some degree of the 

 brittleness of the resins. Water, whether cold or at 

 a boiling heat, has no effect upon it; it likewise 

 remains undissolved in alcohol at the ordinary tem- 

 perature of the atmosphere, but when boiled in this 

 a small proportion is taken up. Its specific gravity 



Y3 



