292 HORTUS JAMAICENSIS* fisdi,em'OOI>' 



1. CAUDATUM. TAIL'ED. 



Fruticosum, Jollis suhclipticis, pctiolis pedatts, cnl'cihus fruncahis^ 

 spkis terminalibus hngipribus. Browne, p. 265, t. 28, f. 2. 

 Branches round ; calyxes truncate. 



This is called cval-leaved or long-spiktd fiddlewood. The leaves are elliptic, cmar- 

 ginate, obtuse, entire ; racemes erect ; calyx slightly toothed. Browne says it is but 

 a shrub, wiiich seldom grows above ten or twelve feet in height, and bears a great num- 

 ber of sniall berries, cii:^])osed on divided spikes at the extremities of the branches, and 

 that-it is pretty common about Sixteen-Mile-Walk. 



2. MELANOCARDIU.M. BLACK-HEART. 



Berberis Jr.iictu arbor iraxima bacciftra rocemosa, foliis integris oh" 

 tuais, jloic albo ptnlapelalo, odoratissimo, fructu nigra vumopyreno. 

 Sloane, v. 2, p. 99, t. i:06, f. 3, 4. Foliis riigosis cvaiis ofpositis, 

 pttiolis geniculaiis, raitmis terminalibus, caiicibus quadrtjidis.^^ 

 Browne, p. 265. 



Branches quadrangular; racemes teraiiiiating, compound j flowers four-sta- 

 mened. 

 This tree j^rovNS chiefly in tlie lowlands and savannas, where it is frequently observed 

 %o rise to Uie beit^iu of forty or <:fiy teet; anJ is geni.-ruUj looked upon as one of the 

 fcarJest and best timber trtes )n tlie i^laruL The body grows to a consider.ible thi k- 

 ness, anv.4 is cuv.ereu with a thick whitisn bark, vvhicii, like the grain of the vv;o.i, vvinds 

 iu a loose s;)irai form. The leaves are pretty long, rugged, and slightly serrated ; and* 

 the bios.-ouis disposed in bunches,, at tixe extrenuties ot the . ran< he-. The berries are 

 soial, and of a yellow colour ; they contain each two heinispheric .hel s, that coniaia ; 

 the seeds'., the nuts or mtcuL' of these may be easily parted iuto two lobes or segments.. 

 Tile bernes are soaietimes eat by tiie negroes. Broxaie. 



Sioane supposes. tliat a sweet smelling essence might be made from the. Sower of this 

 tree. The wood is very durable, even when exposed to the weather or put into the 

 ground, and therefore makes excellent posts : it grows plentifully inmost of the lower 

 mountains. From its durable quality the French gave it the name Oifidette wood, which . 

 we have corrupted to fiddle. A dye of a beautiful sU"aw, ycliow, or orange colour, for 

 Diasons* work, is tiiaue of this wood as follows :-7-Take ot strong vyiiite liuiC a su.^cient 

 quantity to hiiish the work intended, niix it with water, as for white wash, put it in 

 casks or other utensils, then add thereto the heartof biack Sddlewood, finely ctiipt, or 

 the shavings, in such quantity as will produce the colour required ; let it remain in tiie 

 lime and water three or four days, repeatedly stirring it, so as to extract Uie dye 

 Vkhich can be reduced by an additional quantity of water, or strengtiiened by more- 

 enips and lime, at pleasure. This will be found a never failing mettiod, and w far su- 

 perior colour to any other material whatever now in use. 



' Browne takes notice of two otlier kmds of fiddlewood, which he thinks may he onl/- 

 varieties, viz. : 



1. WHITE FIDDLF.tVOOD.* 



yErectuvi, fcliis cblurigis^ xorticc Icvi, fructikus ^arsis. Browne,. 

 ,p. 265. 



Thi 



