256 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



found to form a better candle than when the pure 

 and more fusible substance is alone employed. Dr. 

 B. Babington made several experiments to discover 

 its inflammability compared with other substances ; 

 and ascertained with tolerable accuracy, that the 

 piney tallow approaches nearer to animal fat in its 

 rate of combustion than to spermaceti or wax, and 

 that, all circumstances being similar, a less weight 

 was consumed of this in a given time than of either 

 of the other substances. 



The natives have never hitherto applied this vege- 

 table product as the means of affording light. Its 

 concrete form is probably the cause of their having 

 neglected it; as a solid substance is never used in 

 India for feeding the flame of their wicks, and candles 

 are unknown there. Their lamps are supplied with 

 many fluid vegetable oils, which their country yields 

 in profusion. The product of the piney tree is, 

 however, employed medicinally by the Indians, who 

 consider it as an excellent application for bruises and 

 rheumatic pains. 



A resin, very nearly similar in its properties to 

 that of copal, exudes from the same tree, and fur- 

 nishes a very durable natural varnish. This resin, 

 when mixed up with the tallow of the piney tree, is 

 used as a substitute for tar in smearing the bottoms 

 of boats. 



The Valeria Indica grows very commonly through- 

 out the western coast of the peninsula of India, as 

 far northward as the extreme limit of the province of 

 Canara. A plentiful supply might therefore be 

 readily obtained, which could be imported into this 

 country at one-fourth the price of wax. Although it 

 may not possess all the advantages of that substance, 

 it is still considerably superior to animal tallow. 



