vhen the wax has heen secreted on the Pai-la tree, a selection of a 

 u Hi cient number of the most thickly coated of the twigs mid smaller 

 ranches is made, and that from these the next year's crop is raised. 

 The Paida tree is systematically cultivated from cuttings. Large 

 urseries are formed, and the young trees are planted out when they 

 :ive attained a suilicient growth. They are sometimes formed into 



from the mam stem ; the poles ;irc then, as has been stated, used for 

 various purposes. 



Before the trees are cut down, a sufficiency of the most thickly coated 

 branches are removed, and put in baskets which are placed in a warm 



airy room. As the weather gets cooler the room is very slightly ! ted. 



In the month of December the cocoons, which apparently by this time 

 have been formed, are removed. They are placed in small boxes filled 

 with cotton wool, and are kept during the winter in moderately warm 

 rooms, from whieh all draughts are carefulh excluded. In very cold 

 are placed on -lightly heated stoves. The pre- 



-:try tor the! 



r presen 



,-ation were 



descr 



ibed to n;e 



those for tt 











ndofMard 



i. when 







are Tea, b 



ms, baskets 





foot long 7 a, 















. Ill thes 



! containing 



the eoe« 



.ons i< place 



d, an( 



1 dio-ilv a 















whether tin 







other insects 



; colled the " La-mu : 



• or 



" La-kou," 



probably is the c 



The wax is obtained by boiling the leaves, branches, and the bark of 

 the Pai-la trees in iron pans. Tins operation i> repeated several times 

 until all the wax has been obtained. The wax itself is also subjected to 

 repeated boiling for the purpose of removing all impurities. It is then 

 finally poured into earthenware bowls and allowed to cool. Ssu-ch'uan 

 wax as seen in the market here is made up into large discs about 5 

 inches thick and some 20 inches in diameter, weighing between 50 and 

 60 pounds. The average price of this wax in Wuhu is about 3s. a 

 pound, and I cannot learn that of late years there has been any serious 

 fluctuations in the production or the cost. The small quantities of 



obtain has evidently been eooled in much smaller quantities than that 

 from Ssu-ch'uan. 'it is possible that after the wax has passed from the 

 hands of the retail producer in'O diosr of the wholesale dealer it is run 

 into larger moulds for the market. I cannot learn that any substance 

 is added to the wax in the course of m ■ - to be pure; 



that it is not adulterated is scarcely possible, unless indeed it has been 

 substance with it without 



the wax is applied are three in number. It is used 

 idles made of vegetable* tallow with rush wicks. 

 1 for imperial use are said to be made entirely of 

 is to coal pill* and boluses, simply to preserve the 



