CEPH ALIA.
LAC (Pers. lak, Hind. lakh, from Skt. lac-insect, from lak.:3u, hundred thousand; so called from the great numbers of the insect in a single nest t. The general name under which the various products of the lac-insect (Coccus laces ) are known. The insects live upon the twigs of certain trees, and soon become covered with a secretion, from certain pores which increases in thickness protecting the body and the eggs and which constitutes the lac of commerce. It is said that to each of the males there are at least 5000 females, and the males are at least twice as large as the When a colony, consisting of a few adult females and tune or two males, find their way to a new branch, they attach themselves to the bark, and having pierced it with holes. through which they draw up the resinous juices upon which they feed, they become fixed or glued by the superfluous excre tion. and after a time die, forming by their dead bodies little domes or tents over the myriads of minute eggs which they have laid. In a short time the eggs burst into life, and the young. v,bich are ..Try minute. swarm all over the twig or small young branch of the tree in such count less numbers as to give it the appearance of Icing covered with a blood-red dust. They soon spread to all parts of the tree where the bark is tender enough to afford them food. and genera tion after generation dwells upon the same twig until it is enveloped in a coating. often half an inch in thickness, of the resinous exudation, which is very cellular throughout. the cells being the casts of the bodies of the dead females. During their lifetime they secrete a beautiful purple coloring matter, which does not perish r. ith them, but remains shut up in the cells with the other results of decomposition.
In districAs like the Province of Assam. in Northern India. where the gathering of lac is an important industry, the natives do net depend upon the natural crop. but regulate and increase the amount by cultivation. Two crops are gath ered each year, one in May or June and the other six months later. The first is gathered principally for seed purposes. and the second for commerce. The twig- gathered at the first harvest from the tree covered with live inseets still in the larval stage, and called stick Inc.
ere tied onto the fresh trees; or the stick lac is placed in little bamboo baskets. 'lewd to the trees. Soon the insects crawl out of the twifrs. fasten onto the branches. and the resinous formati•n begins. it is stated that usually a tree, after furnishing food for the lac insect for three or four years. requires a rest. although sumo trees will produce Inc for twelve years and continue to thrive. The trees hest suited to the insects are such as are only mod erately vigorous.
The principal lac-producing trees are several species of Ficus. including the Piciig or 'religious tree' of the Hindus: the Cajanua milictis. Pubis. Ku-slit/I. and some other trees which are natives of India. China, and Japan.
The usual method of separating the resinous matter from the dye and other contents of the stick lac is as follows: The covered twigs are broken up or coarsely pulverized. and placed in hot water. which melts the re-iiions matter. lib erates the pieces of wool and the remains of the insects. and also dissolves the coloring matter. This is facilitated by kneading the melted resin .while in the hot water; it is then taken out and dried. The process of washing and drying is repeated a number of times until the resin is Well separated from the coloring matter. The resin is then put into strong and very coarse cotton bags, which are held near enough to char coal fires to melt the resin without Mining the lags. By twisting the bags, the melted resin is then forced the fabric, and reeeived thin curtain-like lihns upon strips of wood. This hardens as its surface becomes acted upon by the air, and being broken in fragments, constitutes the shellac of commerce. The best shellac is that which is most completely freed from impurities, and apploaelles most to a light orange-brown color. If the coloring matter has rot been well washed out, the resin is often very (lark. Alueli that is squeezed•through the bags falls to the ground, without touching the sticks rlaced to catch it ; small quantities falling form button-like drops, which constitute the button Far; while larger ones, from 1 inch to 2 or 3 inches in diameter, constitute the 'dale lee of commerce.