VEGETABLE WAX FROM BRAZIU ]y 



raceous oil; and a very small quantity of charcoal, afFording 

 traces oflitne, remains in the retort. During the process, a 

 little carburetted hidrogen gas is given off. 



I have not considered it necessary to dwell upon the 

 relative proportions of these different products, as they will 

 necessarily vary according to the rapidity, with which the 

 distillation is conducted. 



Sect. 111. From the preceding detail of experiments, This wax dif- 

 it appears, that, although the South American vegetable wax ^*^'j^J[°^" °^^^'^^ 

 possesses the characteristic properties of bees wax, it differs 

 from that substance in many of its chemical habitudes; it 

 also differs from the other varieties of wax, namely, the wax 

 of the myrica cerifeia*, oflacf, and of white lucj. 



The attempts, which I have made to bleach the wax, have Bleachir|, 

 been conducted on a small scale; but from the experiments 

 related, it appears, that, after the colour has been changed 

 by the action of very dilute nitric acid, it may be rendered 

 nearly white by the usual means. I have not had sufficient 

 time to acertain, whether the wax can be more effectually 

 bleached by long continued exposure, nor have I had an op- 

 portunity of submitting it to the processes employed by the 

 "bleachers of bees wax. 



Perhaps the most important part of the present inquiry is 

 that, which relates to the combustion of the vegetable wax, 

 in the form of candles. 



The trials which have been made, to ascertain its fitness its use in cao- 

 for this purpose, are extremely satisfactory ; and, when the '^'*** 

 wick is properly proportioned to the size of the candle, the 

 combustion is as perfect and uniform, as that of common bees 

 wax. 



The addition of from one eighth to one tenth part of tal- 

 low is sufficient, to obviate the brittleness of the wax in it» 



* Vide Dr. Bostock's Experiments on the Wax of the Myrica cerifera, 

 in Nicholson's Journal for March, 1803 j vol. IV, p. 130. 



J Vide Analytical Experiments and Observations on Lac, by Charles 

 Hatchett, Esq F. R. S , in the Philosphical Transactions for 1804; or 

 Journal, vol X, p. 45, 95. 



X Vide Observations and Experiments on a Waxlike Substance 

 from Madras, by George Pearson, M. D. ¥> R. S., ia the Philosophical 

 Transactions f«r 1794. 



C 2 pur« 



