New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-04
THE WHITE-U TAX INSECT.
A REMARKABLE CHI NESE INDUSTRY.
From "Nature's' review Of M. A. lIosie's " Three

REMARKABLE CHI NESE INDUSTRY.
From Natures review Of Mr.. A. IIosie's Three
Years in Western China
Mr.. Ilo>c', third journey was in one sense the
trivc,scd was not all new. the object was TO >tuuy
carefully. fog the authorizes al Kew the Smese m
wish the centre Of The wax culture OF the province to
ascend by the way the sacred Mount Ome from who',
summit the glory Of Buddha Is said To- be visible, ana
then to strike the Yangsze at It's highest navgoble
point. Tho mountain. which Is about ll,;o0o IGct
almost since the beginning of our era. and Is sumsl
entity remarkable from physical point Of view DIT.
.rct and he Industry associated with It, in which he
the career OF the COccus pela OF We,tW9ou rom
dshOnored grave 1t only IN guilt recent iSo {e tbc
mystery surrounding +he Industry has been cleared mp
pac subject va, frequently referred " IN ODER wDrAS
in China. and the chief object OF VIZ. HoSles !onrhtt
the foliage OF the flowers and trees on which the m
sects are propagaed specimens Of the living ncru'tcd
mcrcc and Chinese candles made from 4. .,,o,. .,
The Chem chang Valley already alluded TO- which !,
breeding ground II tile white insect. one very
prominent tree there Is known to the Chimes as tle
ing pairs from the branches, very thick DARK sre .
glossy oyae and p9ned d IN May anG ' are c
ccqdcd by fruit Of dark purple color me Kew
authorities have come to the conclusion that II IS
when Mr. osic saw fhe trees he found attached to
the bark OF the boughs and twigs numerous brown
readily detachable and when opened presented either
Witty PUPPY mas or tTOw ec 81 iust ppr
ceptibe 10 the naked eye. From two 20 three months
later these had developed in each case into swarm
OF brown creatures each provided with SIX legs and
pair OF antcnnae; each Of these was white wax in
sect Many of the cxcreSccnce' also contanei clther
a small white bag or cocoon covering a punn. or a
perfect Image in the shape OF small black hectic.
This beetle is species Of Brachytarsus If lef I'M
disturbed the beetle which is called by ;hc Chinese
the buffalo will, Needless Of the Coc>. continue
70 e. in tb inner Of hS s1 ps REA o %
Coecps When scale It is p %cEeG from n,Ic the tree the
Two hundred miles 10 the northeast of the Chen.
mountain ranges, IS the town Of Chatting in which
insect whltc-wax rs an article OF commerce IS pro
dnced The scales arc gathered In the Chen chang
Valley and ar. made up into P1re IF P""t aoc GaS
make a load. and are conveyed by portcrs from Chen
chang to I'm i9r Go ye ihssd % San TO
travel only during the nlsh IN order to avoid TIE
nE Of 9E d which sns TG a SaS to e
the scales At the stopping places The packets are
ONT IN c4 pace c, put oo SS 90 am
in transit pound Of scales laid down in CHA ting
costs IN wears Of piG9ty about half in SnS
~ scales VIII produce four TO five pounds OF wax: In
tine plain ao Win smps vaT TS 1 5m 81 S o
10 twelve feet high. with numerous sprouts rising from
own pollard willows The leaves spring in pairs from
the hrsncLs' apa are T Sreep oyae P9lm mS
abiljtv 10 bo the FRI ynus chinensis specie oash
ON the arrival Of the scales from Chen chang about
the beginning Ot Nav. they made up In small pack
cts OF from twenty 10 thirty scales which are incloSed
in leaf Of the woOd0ll tree. Tho edges Of the leaf
are tied together with rice straw. by which tho
packet suspended close under the branches Of this
ash, or white-waX tree. - the Chinese call IT,. y
few rough holes drilled In the leaf with blunt
| needle. - that the insects may find their way
| through them 20 The branches. on emerging from
the scales the insects creep rapidly mp 10 the leaves,
among which they nestle for period Of thirteen DAYS.
They then descend 10 the branches twigS. which
they take mp their position, the females doubtless II
provide for continuation of the race by developing
scales In which 10 deposit their eggs. and the males to
| eXcret" the substance known rs white wax. This
first appears undertaking on the sides OF tho
or q covering of II gradually spicadS over the
whole branch and attans after three months thick
ness If about a quarter OF inch. After the lapse
OF hundred days the deposit Is complete the branches
are Topped or and much Of the wax a. possible Is
| removed by hand. This is placed In IN iron pot OF
boiling water. aud the wax. on rising to the surface.
| Is skinned off and placed In round mould whence
| IL energies as tho white Of commerce. Where IL
| Is found impossible 10 remove the by hand the
wig, ard branchc are thrown into the pot, 50 that
| this wax Is darker ard Inferior The insects which
have sunk the bottom of the pot placed In bag
and squeezed Of the last drop of wax and arc then
thrown h the pigs. The IS used for coating the
exterior Of animal ard vegetable tallow candles and u
give greater consistency TO the allow. II Is also said
TO be used sizing for paper and cotton goods, for
| mparting gloss to silk. ard As furniture polish.
When tho Harrison Administration came into power
General sherman be'egcd by hundreds who wanted