Feb. 1908.1 



111 



OILS AND FATS. 



THE WAX PALM. 



This palm belongs to the genus of 

 Copernicia which consists of six species, 

 all of which are natives of Tropical 

 America. The species in question, also 

 called Carnauba palm, has a trunk from 

 6-7 metres high, covered with leaf sears ; 

 with a circumference of 30-45 centimetres, 

 the deeply divided palmate leaves form 

 a spherical crown. The six to eight 

 youngest leaves are characterised by 

 being held together for a long time by a 

 resin at the avil. The pinnase remain 

 divided, but the leaves meet again at 

 the top of the stem, forming a complete 

 crown. The young leaves are on the 

 underside of alight yellow ; at this stage 

 of their development they give off a 

 dry, powdery, ash-coloured substance, 

 which developes a peculiar but pleasant 

 smell. This substance is a vegetable 

 wax, it hangs so loosely that it can be 

 shaken off while the leaves are young ; 

 but so soon as they have developed the 

 circular form, a breath of wind suffices 

 to scatter the wax. The small green 

 flowers are inserted on much branded 

 inflorescences at the avils of the leaves, 

 they are followed by fruits, which are 

 very bitter, but are nevertheless eaten 

 by the Indians either raw or cooked. 

 The dry parts of tropical Brazil form 

 the region of distribution of the wax 

 palms, they are most common in the 

 province of Ceara to the dry climate of 

 which they are particularly adapted. It 

 does not rain there during six months, 

 and it is just in that dry season that the 

 wax palm puts forth its young leaves, 

 aud that the collection of the products 

 takes place. A scanty rainfall during 

 the wet season, and a succeding prolong- 

 ed drought check the productive activity 

 of the wax palm to such an extent that— 

 as the experience in these last few de- 

 cades lias shown— total failure of the 

 yield has often occurred. This tree can 

 occasionally stand a prolonged flood up 

 to several inches, above the ground line 

 but a dry place, which is never subject 

 to floods, is most favourable to its 

 growth. It is so insensible to the heat 

 that even a fire could not destroy its 

 vitality. - 



By far the most important product of 

 this palm is the wax which was discover- 

 ed at the beginning of this century, but 

 it was not exported until 1816 when 

 Ceara exported 26,218 kilos ; in 1860 

 the quantity had already reached 68,096 

 kilos. The port of Arcati exported in 

 the same year 562,016 kilos. From this 

 time these two ports exported on an 



average 100,000 kilos to the value of 

 750,000 marks. Pernambuco also takes 

 part in the export, but with exceedingly 

 fluctuating quantities. In the year 

 1875-76 were exported 18,668 kilos, value 

 15,150 marks, in 1867-77 171,980 kilos, value 

 139,140 marks, in 1878-79 1,542 kilos, value 

 1,220 marks. Nearly all these exports 

 went to North America. 



To estimate the yield of wax one must 

 keep in mind that the greater part of it 

 is used up in Brazil for candles, to which 

 is added a little tallow. This branch of 

 industry can be surveyed pretty accur- 

 ately, because it is limited, with a few 

 unimportant exceptions to Ceara. The 

 extraction of the wax is only in this 

 province carried on as an industry. 

 According to official statistics the har- 

 vest in Ceara amounts in fertile y a ars to 

 two million kilos, half of which is made 

 into candles at the place. These form 

 an article for export to the neighbouring 

 provinces, but the export would extend 

 over a far larger area if technical pro- 

 gress were made in the manufacture of 

 them. The candles are brought in spite 

 of their deficiencies, as they are the 

 cheapest material for lighting, and give 

 out an odour for the sake of which they 

 are burnt in churches. The wax is 

 gained by a very simple process. When 

 the leaves have passed into the stage of 

 development they are cut down at the 

 place where they spread in the shape of 

 a fan ; precaution must be observed that 

 the youngest leaves in the centre of the 

 crown remain unhurt, for they are to 

 carry on the activity of the cut off leaves 

 in the life of the palm, and they are to 

 form the next yield. 



The cutting is done by means of a 

 sickle, which is tied to a long pole. An 

 experienced labourer can cut down with 

 this simple instrument a thousand leaves 

 in a day. The vitality of the palm 

 shows that, during the six dry months, 

 it can be deprived of its leaves, if they 

 have reached the above mentioned 

 development, which, however, must not 

 exceed this stage, as the wax falls off to 

 the extent that it is scattered before the 

 leaves reach the ground. The six wet 

 months are quite sufficient lor the re- 

 covery of the palm. 



The cut off leaves are dried at the 

 place, they are put in long rows on the 

 ground, with the under side upwards, so 

 that the wax doesnotcome off. After four 

 or five days they are put in a heap close 

 to which a cloth has been spread. Leaf 

 after leaf is beaten upon this cloth with 

 a stick, until it is completely free of 



