LlG2xUAl ILEMATUXYLI. 2T> 



in coM Wiitor or in ether. It has a persistent sweet taste like liquorice. 

 The crystals of htematoxj-lin acquire a red colour by the action of sun- 

 light, as likewise their aqueous solution. They are dcccinpo^^*.! hy 

 •■one but not by })ure and dry ox^-f^en. In prcson^^ of alkalis, 

 bffiraatoxylin exposed to the air quickly yields dark purplish violet 

 R^^ntions, which soon acquire a yellowish or dingy brownish colour ; 

 hence in analytical chemistry hiematoxylia is used aa a test fur 



alkalis. 



By the combined action of ammonia and ox^^gen, dark violet 



o^-^talline sados of ITcvmattm, C^H^'O' + 3 OIP, are produc:!* They 



diiow a tine green hue, which is also very commonly observable on 



th'" surface of the logwood chips of commerce. Ha:matein m^y n^^'^in 



be transformed into hsematoxylin by means of hydrogen or of sulphuious 

 acid. 



Hfematoxylin separates protoxide of copper from an alkaline solu- 

 tion of the tartrate, and deviates the ray of polarized light to the rip^ht 

 hand. It is not decomposed by concentrated hydrochloric acid ; by 

 mcltmg htematoxylin wnth potash, pyrogallol (pyrogallic acid, (yHH)^) 

 IS obtained. Alum and the salts of lead throw down precipitates from 

 solutions of hoematoxylin, the latter being of a bluish-black colour. 

 Lo^jwood affords upon incineration S'S per cent of ash. 



Ihe colouring matter being abundantly soluble in boilinir water, an 

 l^Mort o/ Logivood is also prepared on ti large scale. It occurs in 

 commerce in the form of a blackish brittle mass, taking the form of the 

 wooden chest into which it is put while soft. The extract shares the 

 chemical properties of hfDuatoxylin and hiematein : whether it al 



so 



<^n tains 



ommerce 



The felling and shipping of Ingwood 

 Jfl '^^•Titral America have been described by Morelet,- who states that in 

 the woods of Tabasco and Yucatan the trade is carried on in the most 

 Jirational and reckless manner. By advancing money to the natives, or 

 y burnishing them with spirits, arms, or tools, the proprietoi-s of tlie 

 ^^^H engage them to fell a number of trees in proportion to their debts. 

 1ms IS done in the dry season, the rainy period being taken for the 

 fnjpment of the logs, which are conveyed chiefly to the island of Carmen 

 ^ the Laguna de Terminos in South-western Yucatan, and to Frontera 

 Ofi the mouths of the Tabasco river, at which places European ship8 

 |ve cargoes of the wood. 



.-In 1877 the export of Laguna de Terminos amounted to 528,605 

 quintals (one quintal = 4G kifogrammes), that from Port-au-Prince, 

 ^vti, la 1872, nearly to 90,000 tons. 



* our sorts of logwood are found in the London market, namely Canv 

 i-chy quoted^ at £8 lOa. to £9 lOs. per ton; IIo;uJ"rn<i, £6 lOs. 



A(> los.; St. Dowivqo, £5 lo.s^ to £G ; .r'wrdca, £5 2s. Qd. to £5 10.^. 



a« foUow 



\ 



aluedinlH72at£2:AO-'^5. 



18G9 1870 1871 li>"i 



60,456 tons. 02,187 tons. 39,3-^6 tons. 4b', 039 tons. 



1 r ,.. 



fom^lw?-^r-^" ^^"•^' asaimcd them the ^ Voyagr dnm VAjn'rJque c^uule, file 



nuia C' H -0' X + 9 OIP. dc Cuba et k Yucatan, Paris, 1857. 



» Puhlk Lf'lger, !» Feb. 1 874. 



