^jTOeiSra™}       The  Tallow  Tree  and  its  Uses.  263 
ing  a  quart  of  common  muriatic  acid  (sp.  gr.  1-15)  and  three  quarts 
of  water.  As  soon  as  the  acid  comes  in  contact  with  the  chloride  of 
lime  the  room  is  closed,  and  the  things  exposed  to  the  action  of 
chlorine  gas  for  24  hours  ;  the  room  is  then  aired  for  48  hours.  Ten 
such  earthen  pots  give  off  500  litres  of  chlorine,  sufficient  to  disinfect 
from  20  to  25,  more  or  less,  dirty  mattresses. — Scientific  American, 
May  18,  1872. ' 
THE  TALLOW  TREE  AND  ITS  USES. 
By  D.  J.  Macgowan,  M.D. 
The  botanical  characters  of  this  member  of  the  Muphorbiacece  are 
too  well  known  to  require  description  ;  but  hitherto  no  accurate  ac- 
count has  been  published  of  its  various  uses.  Although  it  has  become 
a  common  tree  in  some  parts  of  India  and  America,  its  value  is  appre- 
ciated only  in  China,  where  alone  its  products  are  properly  elaborated. 
Analytical  chemistry  shows  animal  tallow  to  consist  of  two  proximate 
principles — stearine  and  elaine.  Now,  what  renders  the  fruit  of  this 
tree  peculiarly  interesting  is  the  fact  that  both  these  principles  exist 
in  it  separately  in  nearly  a  pure  state.  Nor  is  the  tree  prized 
merely  for  the  stearine  and  elaine  it  yields,  though  these  products 
constitute  its  chief  value  ;  its  leaves  are  employed  as  a  black  dye ;  its 
wood  is  hard  and  durable,  and  may  be  easily  used  for  the  blocks  in 
printing  Chinese  books  and  various  other  articles  ;  and,  finally,  the 
refuse  of  the  nut  serves  for  fuel  and  manure. 
The  Stillingia  Sebifera  or  tallow  tree  is  chiefly  cultivated  in  the 
provinces  of  Kiang-se,  Kiang-nau  and  Chih-kiang.  In  some  districts 
near  Hang-chau  the  inhabitants  defray  all  their  taxes  with  its  pro- 
duce. It  grows  alike  on  low  alluvial  plains  and  on  granite  hills,  on 
rich  moulds  on  the  margin  of  canals,  and  on  the  sandy  sea  beach.  The 
sandy  estuary  of  Hang  chau  yields  little  else.  Some  of  the  trees  at 
this  place  are  known  to  be  several  hundred  years  old,  and,  though 
prostrated,  still  send  forth  branches  and  bear  fruit.  Some  are  made 
to  fall  over  rivulets,  forming  serviceable  bridges.  They  are  seldom 
planted  where  anything  else  can  conveniently  be  cultivated,  but  gen- 
erally in  detached  places,  corners  about  houses,  roads,  canals,  fields, 
etc. 
In  winter,  when  the  nuts  are  ripe,  they  are  cut  off  with  the  twigs 
by  a  sharp  bill  hook  attached  to  the  extremity  of  a  long  pole,  which 
