Compounds are coarse polishes which use aluminum oxide as an abrasive agent, the most severe of which is like liquid sandpaper.
Spermaceti is a comparatively unimportant article of commerce; and of Chinese wax small quantities only are imported, as the home consumption takes up the bulk of the wax for the manufacture of candles, polishes and sizes.
Our polish is a cream, unlike most of the available beeswax furniture polishes which are pastes.
The wood of the hornbeam is white and close-grained, and polishes ill, is of considerable tenacity and little flexibility, and is extremely tough and hard to work - whence, according to Gerard, the name of the tree.
The tall columnar trunk furnishes the most valued pine timber of the states; close-grained and resinous, it is very durable and polishes well; it is largely employed in American shipyards, and immense quantities are exported, especially to Britain and the West Indies.
