44

HEMIPTEEA.

of Ceylon ; the pale sort from Africa. The larva we have represented is from China ;and the imago was brought from the Bast Indies, by the late Mr. Ellis.

Groton Sebiferum — Poplar-leaved Groton, or Tallow-tree. —The Tallow-tree is notthe natural food of the Wax insect, but as they mutually illustrate the same inquiry,they are represented in the same plate; and it is further presumed, that a shortaccount of this useful plant will be deemed a proper sequel to the history of the insect.

Du Halde , when describing the Tallow-tree, says, “ II est de la hauteur d’ungrand cerisier. Le fruit est renferme dans une ecorce qu’on appelle Yen Kiou, etqui s’ouvre par le milieu quand il est mur, comme celle de la chataigne. II consisteen des grains blancs de la grosseur d’une noisette, dont la chair a les qualitez du suif;aussi en fait-on des chandelles, apres l’avoir fait fondre, en y melant souvent un peud’huile ordinaire, et trempant les chandelles dans la cire qui vient sur l’arbre dont jevais parler : il s’en forme autour du suif une espece de croute qui l’empeche de couler.Page 18. Vol. I.

Sir G. Staunton speaks nearly to the same effect: “ From the fruit of the Grotonsebiferum, of Linnaeus , the Chinese obtain a kind of vegetable fat, with which theymake a great proportion of their candles. This fruit, in its external appearance, bearssome resemblance to the berries of the ivy. As soon as it is ripe, the capsule opensand divides into two, or, more frequently three divisions, and falling off discovers asmany kernels, each attached by a separate foot-stalk, and covered with a fleshy sub-stance of a snowy whiteness, contrasting beautifully with the leaves of the tree, which,at this season, are of a tint between a purple and a scarlet. The fat, or fleshy sub-stance, is separated from the kernels by crushing and boiling them in water. Thecandles made of this fat are firmer than those of tallow, as well as free from alloffensive odour. They are not, however, equal to those of wax or spermaceti.”This author further adds, “ The wax for candles is generally the produce of insects,feeding chiefly on the privet, as is mentioned in the chapter of Cochin China . It isnaturally white, and so pure as to produce no smoke; but is collected in such smallquantities, as to be scarce and dear. Cheap candles are also made of tallow, andeven of grease of too little consistence to be used, without the contrivance of beingcoated with the firmer substance of the tallow-tree or of wax.” Vide Chapter onSou-choo-foo.

The tallow-tree is now cultivated in the West Indies , where it thrives well, andproduces fruit, and by proper attention may hereafter become useful.