CANDLEBERRY, BAYBERRY, CAN DLEBERRY MYRTLE, TALLOW-TREE, or WAX MYRTLE, a shrub (Cerothamnus cerifera) common in eastern North America, where candles are made from the waxy sub stance collected from a decoction of the fruit. It grows abundantly in sandy soil, and seems to thrive particularly well in the neighborhood of the sea, nor does it ever seem to be found far inland. The berries intended for making candles are gathered late in autumn, and are thrown into a pot of boiling water, where the fatty or waxy substance floats on the top and is skimmed off. When congealed this substance is of a dirty-green color, somewhat intermedi ate in its nature between wax and tallow. After being again melted and refined it assumes a transparent green hue. Mixed with a propor tion of tallow it forms candles, which burn better and slower than common tallow ones, and do not run so much in hot weather. They have also very little smoke and emit a rather agree able odor. Soap and sealing-wax are also
made of this substance. The plant has been cul tivated in France and Germany, where it in the open air. Another plant belonging to the same family is the sweet-gale (Myrica gale), which grows abundantly in bogs and marshes in Europe. It is a small shrub with leaves somewhat like the myrtle or willow, of a fragrant odor and bitter taste, and yielding an essential oil by distillation. It was formerly used in the north of Europe instead of hops, and in some places it is still so used. The catkins or cones boiled in water throw up a scum resembling beeswax, which, collected in sufficient quantities, would make candles. The plant is used to tan calf-skins. Gathered in the autumn, it dyes wool yellow, and is thus used both in Sweden and in Wales. The dried leaves are used to scent linen.