38 



fairly good properties. The rubber was collected in the following*' 

 manner : — The epidermis was taken off the bark so as to give a clean 

 smooth surface. The bark was then scarred with a sharp knife some- 

 what spirally, the incisions being about 2 J inches apart. The milk 

 exuded rypidly, .md after jillo^ving it to rest till bleeding ceased, that is 

 for about 5 minu'es, I rubbed the open haijds up and down an l round 

 about the surface of the bark under treatment. The milk readily ad- 

 hered to the hands, and coagulated rapidly. I send you a small sam- 

 ple of the rubber so obtained. There is a good crop of seeds now on 

 the trees. Hanbury is 1,550 feet above sea level ; the average annual 

 rainfall is 99 inches. 



WAX PALMS OF THE ANDES. 



Ceroxylon axdicolum, Humb. & BonpL 



Ceroxylon andicolam, the Wax Palm of the Andes, was first made 

 known and described, says the Treasury of Botany^ by the celebrated 

 travellers Humboldt and Bonpland, who found it growing in great 

 abundance in very elevated regions on the chain of mountains eepara - 

 ing the courses of the rivers Magdalena and Cauca, in New Grenada, 

 extending almost as high as the lower limit of perpetual snow, which 

 is a remarkable fact when it is remembered that the generality of the 

 palm tribe luxuriate in tropical climates. It has a straight trunk of 

 great height, and about a foot in diameter, cylindrical for the first half 

 of its height, after which it swells out, but again contracts to its original 

 dimension at the summit ; but the most singular feature connected with 

 the tnmk is the circumstance of its being covered with a thin coating of a 

 whitish waxy substance which gives it a curious marble-like appearance 

 It is surmounted by a tuft consisting of from six to eight handsome 

 pinnate leaves, each of which is about twenty feet long, and has a 

 strong thick footstalk, the base of which spreads out and clasps round 

 the trunk, leaving a circular scar when it falls away ; the leaflets are 

 densely covered on the under side with a beautiful silvery scurf, while 

 the upper side is of a deep green colour. The waxy substance of the 

 trunk forms an article of commerce amongst the inhabitants of New 

 Grenada. It is obtained by cutting down the tree and scraping it with 

 a blunt implement, each tree yielding about twenty-five pounds. 

 According to the analvsis of Yauquelin, it consists of two parts of resin 

 and one of wax, and is therefore of too inflammable a nature to be used by 

 itself; but by mixing it with one-third part of tallow, v^ry good candles 

 for ordinary purposes are manufactured from it The candles used by 

 the inhabitants for offerings to the Saints and Virgin are, however, 

 made without any such mixture ; but on account of their resinous 

 nature the priests will not yllow them to be used for the high 

 ceremonies of the Romish Church. The wood is very hard tow ards the 

 exterior, and is commonly employed for building purposes ; and the 

 leaves are used for thatching. 



The following interesting letter has lately been received by the Li- 

 rector from Mr. Robert B. White from Cauca, in Colombia : — 



