Candles

These are said to have been first used by early Christians in the caves and catacombs. In the 4th century Const an tine illuminated Constantinople with lamps and candles. In the Middle Ages wax candles with tow-wicks were made which weighed 50 lbs. A candle consists of a cylinder of fat or wax upon a central wick. First came the Dips, with wicks of rush-pith, flax, or cotton, repeatedly immersed in wax, tallow, or household-grease. In the 15th century the Sieur de Brez introduced Mold candles, made by casting hard tallow, stearic acid, spermaceti, or paraffin, round a wick in a mold. Other forms are, Rolled, Poured, and Drawn; these methods are applied to wax because of the difficulty of molding it. Large church candles are made by rolling warm wax round a wick, or by pouring it over hanging wicks, which are afterward rolled under a board by hand. Drawn candles are made by drawing wick from one drum to another through a pan of wax, and then reversing it. On account of the cracking of the wax, only taper of small diameter is made in this way. Improved machinery enables the best Molds to be produced at lower cost than the commonest Dips. The wicks are of plaited cotton.