“| GE. Moore on the Wax of the Myrica cerifera. 313 
. ms, Ww 
= Toor the sources of the rivers, averaging from a few feet to 
I 
y in a future article, 
We conclude therefore that the barometrical profiles, con- 
structed from explorations across our continent, and geologi 
i data, indicate a long continued quiet expansion of the earth’s 
{ ust, commencing toward the close of the Cretaceous epoch an 
_ extending even to our present period; that near the close of the 
earth had reached its utmost tension, the long lines of fractures 
had commenced, and the anticlinal crests of the mountain 
re 
a above th 
‘Me surrou country near the close of the Eocene period. 
_ We think also that the evidence is clear that there were perio 
_ of subsidence and. repose, but the thought which we wish to 
illustrate is, that there was a slow, long continued, quiet, upward 
tendency which began near the close of the Cretaceous epoch 
and culminated in the present configuration of the western por- 
ton = our continent near the commencement of our present 
Ti 
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C., Jan. Ist, 1862. 
ee 
ART, XXIX.— Contributions from the Sheffield Scientific School of 
Yale College*—II. On the Chemical Constitution of the Wax of 
the Myrica cerifera ; by GipEoN E. Moore, B.P. 
Tum fruit of the Myrica cerifera yields a wax which for many 
“erry wax and Bay-berry Tallow. It occurs abundantly as a 
White incrustation on the small globular nuts of the plant. To 
a itina nearly pure state, the berries are enclosed in bags 
# coarse cloth and kept immersed in boiling water until the 
- “Sed wax collects on the surface, it is then poured off into pans 
10 which it solidifies on cooling—in this form and without further 
! ion it is brought into commerce. It is employed in its 
* Communicated by Profs. Johnson and Brush. _ 
4x. Jour. Sct—Szconp Szrms, Vou. XXXII, No. 99.—Mar, 1862. 
40 
