CINCHONA CULTURE. 301 



Buclmer proposes fusibility and specific gravity as an approximate test 

 of the presence of stearic acid, or tallow. Tallow fuses at 108°, yellow 

 wax at 142°. (' Buchner's Rep.' xliv.) 



Our knowledge of the composition and alliances of the waxes has 

 been much enlarged by Brodie's investigations of common beeswax and 

 Chinese wax. He found common wax to consist of cerotic acid (formerly 

 cerin), soluble in hot alcohol, of the composition C54H54O 4 , therefore of 

 the fat acid series Cn H n 4 ; and of palmitate of meliss-ether (formerly 

 myricin). By saponifying myricin he obtained palmitic acid and 

 melissin, which last has the formula C60H1J2O2 (=C U H n x 2 2), or that 

 of an alcohol. By the action of lime and potassa on melissin, he 

 obtained the corresponding acid, melissic acid, C60H60O4. Upon exa- 

 mining Chinese wax, he found it to consist chiefly of cerotate of cerote- 

 ether, = CsiH^OjCo-iHssO 3 , for by saponification he obtained cerotic 

 acid, C54H34O 4 , and cerotin (the alcohol) C54H56O 2 (C n Hn m 2O3).— 

 (< Phil. Mag.' Sept. 18-18, ' Amer. Journ.' (2) vii. 427.) 



CINCHONA CULTURE, AND BOTANICAL OPERATIONS IN 

 JAMAICA. 



BY NATHANIEL WILSON, ISLAND BOTANIST. 



The usual routine operations connected with the increase and disper- 

 sion of plants have been successfully carried on, and a wide dissemina- 

 tion of plants and seeds made during the past year. 



The public demand for useful plants continues to increase in proportion 

 as their utility and suitability to the climate become known. 



Of this class I may specially mention spices and dyewoods, of which 

 description I have distributed one thousand and fifty-two plants, well 

 established in bamboo baskets previous to leaving the garden, so that no 

 loss may or can occur but by careless attention of recipients ; and, I am 

 happy to say, that in most instances the plants have been successfully 

 established, and one of these, a nutmeg-tree, bore two thousand fruit 

 during the current year, proving most incontestably that the plant is 

 quite at home in this island. 



The product of these plants, in common with that of many others in- 

 troduced from time to time, and but partially known, constitute valuable 

 staples of other countries, and are no less eligible as articles of export 

 from this colony, more particularly so when managed with that industry 

 and skill bestowed on other and older staples. And if there is one class 

 of plants better suited than another in this respect, for field culture, 

 and for the habits and physical capacities of the peasantry, it is that of 

 fibrous plants, for which too, with regard to the number of species, 



