Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-10
CHAPTER ON CHEWING GUM.
Something About the Wax CheWesl
by BOYS and Girls.


We have IL upon common report that chewing
gum Is substance Well known to the youthful
part OF tile community. The qualities which Il
possesses at the time that it comes from the
confectioner are all familiar TO the youngest of
us 1t certainly seems very attractive edible
The reason for this is not SO hard to find Think
how much eating there is In 1t in proportion to
actual weight and cash value. But there is
more in chewing gum than is dreamt OF even In
juvenile philosophy. One can easily compre-
bend the main ingredients OF candy, but who,
gum is often only refined product of pc:
troleum? The time was when the frag-
rant spruce furnished the most common
longer the case. The reader familiar with
the processes of refining coal oil is aware that
the thick, brown liquid which comes from the
through heavy linen cloths. The residuum LETT
after this operation is dirty brownlsh yellow
wax, that smells abominably. That I'M
promising substance, melted, bleached, deodor-
lied, and prepared for commerce. appears In
masses that weigh about one hundred pounds,
resembling ohlong blocks OF clouded ice. 1t has
no odor, and no taste except what belongs to
any wax In its purest state. 1t may be used for
many purposes, but it is not necessary to de-
scribe them now. The manufacturer OF chew
ing gum purchases these blocks ready made to
his hand, and at once meltS them down. To the
hundred pounds OF wax he adds about thirty
pounds Of sugar, and gives the mixture flavor
Oy the use of some essential Oil. as lemon, va
n1lla, and perhaps aads some SOM eooring
a Co, the only manufacturers of the kind In
this city, says that it Is rare for any
dangerous drug to be used In this process OF
cOoring, and this may well be believed since
the chewing gum Is usually white or ting II
simply red or yellow. The melted mass is pour
out upon q clean marble slab and cut in the
labels Motto gum, Shoe Fly gum and Base Bal
gum do not indicate any marked difference in
the quality of the goods. Motto gum, however,
is said to be quite a favorite with the very
young ladies' in boarding schools who have sud
denly acquired taste for poetry without know
Ing exactly where to look for the most SatiSfac-
doTy specimens Gin Of the art Base Ball gum Is
the dignity Of full-length pantaloons. The paper
In which this gum is wrapped bears picture OF
player about to strike the ball, or something
OF that sort. Ice Cream gum Is so called be-
cause 1t has yellowiSh tinge. In this case, as
with the ice cream in most of our restaurants
there is little that deserves the name of cream
except the tinge.
The youthful epicure rarely becomes so luXu-
rious as to demand balsam OF tolu, but ii he
does the manufacturer Is ready for him. This
resin, which is obtained from South America, is
at first in an almost fluid condition. 1t is the
product Of tree known aS-nOw hold your
Jaw, for the name is worse than whole box OF
chewing Sum.--myraspermum toluiferum. This
balsam is boiled by the manufacturer until
finally it is brought to such a consistency that
1t can be run through rollers. 1t comes out In
the shape OF a little slender rod, of a brownlsh
yellow color, which is cut into pieces, each
about two or two inches and half long. The
balsam may sometimes be mixed with a less
costly wax, since its flavor is very marked.
The balsam from the 'chicle" tree, from Gen.
trail America, is used in making what is known
as swapping gum. 1t Is very ductile when
worked and moistened, and the process of max
ing it is similar to that of pulling tatfy. The
original gum exudes from the tree and forms in
a mass sometimes several pounds in weight.
Even in this natural state it would be very
satisfactory substance to keep the teeth at work.
1t cannot be worn out. The experiment has
been tried several tfmes.-[CincialaH Gazette.