20 071 the Tallow- Tree and Insect-wax of 



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tity of Alkanet root (Anchiisa tincioria), brought from Shang- 

 tung, into the mixturej which forms the coating of the candle ; 

 Verdigris is sometimes employed to dye them green. The wicks 

 are made of rush, coiled round a stem of coarse grass, the lower 

 part of which is sht to receive the pin of the candlestick, which 

 is more economical than if put into a socket. Tested in the 

 mode recommended by Count Rumford, these candles compare 

 favorably with those made from spermaceti, but not when the 

 clumsy wick of the Chinese is used. They cost about eight 



cents per pound. 



Prior to the thirteenth century, beeswax was employed as a 

 coating for candles; but about that period the white insect-wax 

 was discovered, since which time that article has been wholly 

 superseded by the more costly but incomparably superior product 

 of this insect. It has been described by the Abbe Grassier, Sir 

 George Staunton, and others ; but these accounts differ so widely 

 among themselves, as well as from that given by native authors, 

 as to render further inquiry desirable. 



From the description given by Grassier, entomologists have 

 supposed the insect which yields the Pe-la, or white wax, to be a 

 species of Coccus. Staunton on the contrary describes it as a spe- 

 cies of Cicada (Plata li77ibata). As described by Chinese writers, 

 however, it is evideiitly an apterous insectj hence the inference, 



either that there are two distinct species that produce white wax, 

 or that the insect Staunton saw was falsely represented as the 

 elaborator of this beautiful material. . This like many other in- 

 teresting questions in the natural history of this portion of the 

 globe must remain unsoU^ed. until restrictions on foreign inter- 

 course are greatly relaxed, or wholly removed. In the mean 

 time, native writers may be consulted with advantage ; and from 

 the chief of these the Pun-tsau and Kiunfangpu, two herbals of 

 high authority, the subjoined account has been principally derived. 

 The animal feeds on an evergreen shrub or tree, Ligustriim in- 

 cidum, which is found throughout central China from the Pacific 

 to Thibet, but the insect chiefly abounds in the province of 

 Sy'Chuen. It is met with also in Yunnan, Hunan, and Hnpeh. 

 A small quantity of a superior description, is produced in Kinhwa 

 Chchkiang province. Much attention is paid to the cultivation of 

 this tree; extensive districts of country are cov^ered with it, and 

 it forms an important branch of agriculturaPindustry. In plant- 

 ing, they are arranged like the mulberry in rows about twelve feet 

 apart, and both seeds and cuttings are employed. If the former, 

 they are soaked in water in which unhusked rice has been wash- 

 ed, and their shells pounded off; when propagated by cuttings, 

 branches an inch in diameter are recommended as'of the most siiit- 

 able size. The ground is ploughed semi-annually, and kept per- 

 fectly free from weeds. In the third or fourth year they are 

 stocked with the insect. After the wax or insect has been gath- 



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