37 



DIOSPYROS TETRASPERMA, Sw. 

 Pigeon Wood. Date Plum. 

 Native of Jamaica, Cuba and Panama. A shrub, leaves simple/ 

 flowers yellowish ; berry ^ inch diam. (Ebenacece.) 



Wood. " This is a very good timber wood, lasts in the ground well, 

 it is used for posts, scantling, &c. Wild pigeons feed on the berry, 

 hence the name." (Harrison.) 



" Found on the southern coast ranges and in the valleys. Of "o 

 great size. Gives a good timber." (Hooper.) 



DIPHOLIS MONTANA. Gr. 

 Bullet or Bully Tree. 



Native of Jamaica and Cuba. A tree ; leaves simple, arch-veini ; 

 flowers small ; berry about \ inch. (Sapotacece.) 



Wood " This is an excellent building timber and is much used 

 sawn into boards, planks and scantlings. It is very durable and very 

 lasting ; shingles are made from it. It is found all over the Island, 

 and grows 3 to 4 feet in diamet r." (Harrison ) 



D. montana Gr., is the Mountain Bully Tree; I), nigra, Gr., is the 

 Black or Red or Bastard Bully Tree; D. salicifolia, A. DC, is the 

 White Bully Tree, also called Galimeta Wood, or Pigeon Wood. 



" General over the Island below 3,500 feet. These together form 

 an important class of timbers, and the trees, though vulgarly classed 

 as bullet or bully trees, are not all belonging to one species. Thev 

 give hard, heavy and close-grained timbers, used largely in general 

 construction, some being valuable from being impervious to rot, either 

 under water or above ground ; others, notably the white bullet, are split 

 into shingles. These bullet trees demand further study." (Hooper.) 



DIVI-DIVI. See Gesalpima coriaria. 



DOG WOOD. See Piscidia erythrina. 



DOLICHOS TUBEROSUS, Lam. 

 Yam Bean. 



Native of tropical Asia. A twining plant ; leaves compound ; flowers 

 white : pod straight, compressed, with reddish hairs ; seeds red ; root 

 formed of a number of fibres, several feet long, bearing tubers. 



Roots " afford a plentiful supply of wholesome food. The produce 

 of 3 plants is usually a bushel. The tubers may either be boiled plain, 

 in which state they are a very good substitute for yams or other roots 

 in common use ; or they may be submitted to a process similar to ar- 

 row-root, and a starch obtained. The starch is of a pure white, and is 

 equal in every respect to arrow-root. To the taste it is very palata- 

 ble, is easily digested, and is employed for custards and puddings. 

 Even the trash, left after obtaining the starch, and which in the pre- 

 paration of arrow-root is lost, may, when thoroughly dried, be formed 

 into a palatable and wholesome flour. A very excellent flour may also 



