Chemistry and Chemical Arts. 149 
reduced its cost one half. In order to render these improvements 
intelligible it will be necessary to give the process followed by those 
who have hitherto made the best sealing wax. ‘The components of 
sealing wax are gum-lac, resin and a coloring matter. The lac is 
rendered fluid by means of turpentine, since the greatest part of it 
would be lost by attempting its fusion: the turpentine is put into a 
basin over a gentle fire, when it is gradually made to liquify four times 
its weight of the lac. When it is entirely melted, vermillion, or some 
other color in the state of a powder, is added. A little volatile oil, 
as that of rosemary, or lavender is also added: when the mixture, 
is poured upon a marble table. When cool, it is broken into little 
fragments and melted in a skillet, after which it is poured into moulds. 
When cold it is polished. The polishing is effected by the following 
arrangements: a furnace is so constructed as to have two fires, and 
between the grates which hold the coals, is an interval of from eight 
to ten centimetres. It is in this space between two glowing fires, 
that the stick of wax is held at one end by means of pincers. It is 
immediately melted at its surface, and softened throughout. In this 
state it is compressed in a mould of polished steel, where it receives 
the stamp of the manufacturer’s name. Before it becomes cold, the 
ends of the sticks projecting from the mould are cut, which operation 
gives them all the same length. 
M. Rovumesranrt, has regulated his manufacture agreeably to his 
observation, that the quality of the wax depended not only upon the 
materials employed, but upon the proportions in which they were 
used. Some of these materials, such as the volatile oils, contribute 
to render the wax more inflammable, and to keep it fluid when drop- 
ped on paper to form the seal. If the wax remains too long over 
the fire, a part of the volatile matters evaporate. The wax is melt- 
ed but once; all the materials exactly weighed, and in the propor- 
tions found to be best, are put into earthen pots, which are placed 
upon openings in a furnace to which they exactly fit. In order to 
accelerate the fusion, a stirrer is employed, formed of half a disc, 
having a little square channel, to which is fitted a wimble handle. 
As soon as the fusion is complete, the vessels are removed from the 
fire, and the wax is run off into marble moulds. It is soon cooled ; 
the moulds are opened, the sticks are taken out and rubbed by a 
workman with a sand paper, in order to remove from them any little 
inequalities of surface they may possess. ‘Their form is elliptic in- 
stead of cylindrical, which contributes to the rapidity of polishing. 
