Candleberry, CANDLEBERRY MYRTLE, WAX TREE, WAX MYRTLE; TALLOW TREE, or BAYBERRY

Candleberry, CANDLEBERRY MYRTLE, WAX TREE, WAX MYRTLE; TALLOW TREE, or BAYBERRY (Myrica cerifera), a small tree, or more generally a low spreading shrub, a native of the United States, most abundant and luxuriant in the south. The evergreen leaves are dotted with resin-glands, and are fragrant when bruised. The drupes—popularly called berries—are about the size of peppercorns, and when ripe, are covered with a greenish-white wax; the wax is collected by boiling them and skimming, and is afterwards melted and refined. A bushel of berries will yield four or five pounds. It is used chiefly for candles, which burn slowly with little smoke, and emit an agreeable balsamic odour, but do not give a strong light. An excellent scented soap is made from it. Several species are found at the Cape of Good Hope, one of which (M. cordifolia) bears the name of Wax Shrub, and candles are made from its berries. The well-known Bog Myrtle (q. v.) or Sweet Gale is M. Gale.