Watermelons

WATERMELONS. See general article on MELONS.

WAX.

The title wax was formerly confined to BEESWAX ( which see), but it is now applied to many other substances of similar composition or characteristics. For household purposes, beeswax has been almost entirely superseded by PARAFFIN ( which see) or "Paraffin Wax" because of its much lower cost.

Vegetable Wax, or Vegetable Tallow, is found as a coating on many plants and fruits, on the leaves of rye, lilies, etc., but in only a comparatively few cases in quan tities sufficient for commercial purposes. Among the most noteworthy commercial examples are the Myrtle Wax—also called "Bayberry," "Candleberry" and "Tallow Shrub"—of this country and several bushes native to China and Japan, one of which, known as the Chinese Tallow Tree, has been naturalized in the Southern States.

The berries of the Myrtle Wax are about the size of peppercorns, and when ripe are covered with a greenish yellow wax which is collected by boiling the berries and skimming it off as it floats on the surface of the liquid. A bushel of berries will yield

from four to five pounds. The product, after remelting and refining, is chiefly used for candles, which burn slowly with little smoke and emit an agreeable balsamic odor, but fail to give a brilliant light. An excellent scented fancy soap is also made from it.

The Chinese Tallow Tree bears capsules containing three roundish seeds covered with fine white wax. The capsules and seeds are generally crushed and boiled, the fat then being skimmed off as it rises. The refined product makes fancy candles which are brilliantly white. Wax and linseed oil are frequently added to obtain the correct consistence.