47 



of acids, and contain a large proportion of Oxy<jen. Vegetable 

 •wax differs however in the following points : 



Myrica-Wax before it is bleached has a greenish hue ; its 

 specific gravity exceeds that of animal wax ; it is harder, more 

 brittle, easily powdered, and melts more readily. It contains 

 besides a good deal of a peculiar substance, which is analogous 

 to Stearine or Stearic-ackl, and which, for that reason is called 

 Myric'ine. Bees-wax contains a smaller quantity of this ingre- 

 dient, but a much larger one of Cerine, another constituent of 

 wax. Vegetahle-wax dissolves in boiling turpentine, and combined 

 with Alkalis forms a compound possessing the properties of Soap. 

 In mauufacturing candles, an equal proportion of tallow ought to 

 be added to it, in order to make them burn brightly, for candies 

 prepared from the wax alone, give a rather dim and insufficient 

 light. 



The proper time for collecting the fruit of Myrica are the 

 months from May to November, when they are found to have 

 arrived at maturity. At all events, the bush and its branches 

 should be preserved in the process, and the rude manner in which 

 the berries have generally been gathered hitherto, ought to be 

 abandoned. The ripe fruit being but loosely attached to the 

 branches, may be stripped off with ease, or be obtained by placing 

 a piece of canvas underneath. By sti-iking the bush gently with 

 a stick or shaking it, the fruit will drop off on the canvas. 



The Candle Berry Myrtle is best propagated by sowing its 

 seeds, which ought to be done in autumn, after the first rains have 

 steadied the sand, which is its principal location, although it 

 thrives as well and as vigorously in richer soil, nay even ascends 

 mountainous regions, removed for many miles from the sea-shore. 

 Lichtenstein found the Myrica Cordifolia abundently on the 

 Zwarteberg, near Caledon, but the bush did not exceed two feet 

 in height, an observation which has since been corroborated by 

 subsequent Botanists. These shrubs may also be multiplied by 

 cuttings and layers, a practice generally adopted for their propa- 

 gation in the gardens of Euiope. 



Of late a method for purifying the Myrica Wax has been dis- 

 covered, and some little energy displayed by the farmers would 

 make this production a valuable article of export. The^ bark of 

 the stem and root being astringent is used for tanning skins. 



