1 86 



difference in the leaf and trunk. He finds the red logwood to be 

 variable in form, colour, and texture of leaf, time of floweriug, 

 form and extent of ribs on the trunk, colour of bark, &c, and 

 specific dye-producing qualities of the heart wood. 



Grunberg and Gies (Bull. Dept. Agric. Jamaica, vol. ii. 1904) 

 finds that the seedlings of the two are indistinguishable, and an 

 analysis at twelve months indicated no difference. 



ANATOMY. 

 The structure of the wood in the specimen submitted agrees very 

 closely with that of the true logwood, The vessels are large and 

 well developed, and the texture of the wood is slightly more open 

 than in true logwood. Associated with this is the rather lower 

 specific gravity of the specimen under examination — 1. 01. The 

 vessels generally occur singly, rarely in groups of two or three. 

 Associated with the vessels are tracheids, and strands of long- 

 pointed fibres, together with some parenchyma, some of the cells 

 of which contain crystals of calcium oxalate. Extending across 

 the wood between the medullary rays are bands of small elements 

 with dark contents. These bands alternate tangentially with 

 bands of tracheids and vessels. The medullary rays are narrow, 

 from one to three cells in width. 



A feature of considerable interest in the specimen received, is 

 the occurrence of fungal hyphae in the lumina of the vessels, 

 tracheids and medullary cells. In some parts of the wood these 

 hyphae are present in very great abundance. In other parts they 

 could not be detected. 



The presence of the fungal hyphae is suggestive,since the living 

 fungus might reduce the dye with the formation of a colourless 

 compound. We do not suggest that the absence of colour is due 

 to the attack of the fungus. Many specimens of bastard logwood 

 must be examined before a decision can be given one way or the 

 other, but the presence of the fungus is worth noting. 



It has been pointed out previously that there was a possibility 

 that the bastard logwood of Jamaica might contain tannins, and 

 find on that account a commercial use. (Quarterly Journ. Inst. 

 Com. Research, No. 2, p. 70.) 



An investigation from this standpoint has been made. The saw- 

 dust of the heart-wood used for analysis was found to contain : — 

 Water ... 972 per cent. 



Tannin ... 6' 34 „ 



Organic (non-tannins) 2" 80 „ 



Inorganic (non-tannins) I ' 7° 



Insol. in water at 100° C. 79 '44 



1 00 00 



The dry wood was also examined and was found to contain : — 

 Raw Fibres (Henneberg & Weender method) 50 ' 67 per cent. 

 Ash 2 52 



Soluble in alkali and acid 46" 81 „ 



100 00 



