844     CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  WAX  OP  MYRICA  CERIFERA. 
0-1967  grms.  palmitic  acid  gave  0-54  grms.  carbonic  acid  and 
0-228  grms.  water. 
Theory.  Experiment. 
C32,        .        .        192       75-00  74-96 
H32,        .        .         32       12-50  12-87 
04,         .        .         32       12-50  .... 
0-1857  grms.  lauricacid  gave  0-4917  grms.  carbonic  acid  and 
0-202  grms.  water. 
Theory.  Experiment. 
C24;        .        .        144       72-00  72-21 
H24,       .        .         24       12-00  12-06 
Oj        .        .         32       16-00  .... 
A  portion  of  the  crude  wax  was  repeatedly  treated  with  fresh 
quantities  of  boiling  alcohol  until  no  further  solution  ensued,  the 
residue  was  several  times  crystallized  from  hot  ether,  and  finally, 
after  decolorization  with  animal  charcoal,  maintained  in  a  state  of 
fusion  for  some  time  to  remove  volatile  impurities  derived  from 
the  ether.     It  possessed  the  fusing  point,  hardness,  and  other 
properties  of  pmepalmitin.    Since,  according  to  Bostock,  boiling 
alcohol  dissolves  only  four-fifths  of  the  wax,  the  amount  of  pal-- 
mitin  present  may  be  approximately  stated  at  one-fifth  of  the 
whole. 
The  results  of  the  foregoing  experiments  indicate  that  the  wax 
of  the  Myrica  eerifera  consists  of  about  one-fifth  part  ofpalmitin, 
the  remaining  four-fifths  being  free  palmitic  acid  with  a  small 
quantity  of  lauric  acid,  the  latter  either  free  or  in  the  state  of 
laurin. 
With  regard  to  the  uses  of  this  substance,  its  composition  and 
abundance  suggest  it  to  the  chemist  as  the  most  convenient  and 
accessible  source  of  pure  palmitin  and  palmitic  acid,  and  it  will 
probably  be  the  means  of  increasing  in  no  small  degree  our 
knowledge  of  these  bodies  and  their  derivatives.  As  a  substi- 
tute for  beeswax  in  the  manufacture  of  candles,  the  myrica  wax 
appears  to  be  worthy  of  more  attention  than  it  has  yet  received. 
In  illuminating  power  it  seems  to  be  scarcely,  if  at  all,  inferior 
to  the  best  beeswax.  It  can  be  furnished  at  less  than  one-fourth 
of  the  cost  of  the  latter  material,  and  owing  to  its  superior 
hardness  it  can  be  cast,  instead  of  having  to  be  subjected  to  the 
tedious  and  expensive  process  of  moulding  by  hand.    By  care  in 
