BOOK III. CHAP. VIIL S37 



234. Brasiletto. Ccefalpina arbor ea^ inermis. 



Id. Id. fpinofa. 



This grows in great plenty in moll: of the Southern rocky hills near 

 the coaft. It is thought a very excellent timber, though in general of 

 fmall diameter. ■J?' The wood is elaflic, tough, and durable, takes a fine 

 polifh, is of a beautiful deep orange colour inclining to red, full of refin, 

 and yields an excellent tinfture by infiilion. 



Its life among the dyers is well known. 



The true BrafUan is a large tree, with a reddifli and thorny bark; the 

 leaves fmall, obtufe, of a fine fiiining green ; the flowers a little fweet, 

 of a beautiful red hue ; the pods flat and prickly, containing two com- 

 pfelled feeds, like thofe of the gourd. 



■ There are two fpecics in Jamaica, one of which is equal in rednefs to 

 the.Brafillan, and containing a red gum, or refin, of an aftringent tafle. 

 The wood tough and flrong, and ufed by the wheelwrights, who fay 

 It makes the befl fpokes for wheels. A dccodtion of the wood is 

 thought to be fl:omachic. 



A red ink is made with the rafplngs in the following manner: infufe 

 them in vinegar, or fome flrong lixivium, and with gum arable, or 

 cafliew glim, and a little allum, put into a glazed earthen pot, gently 

 lltep them for a few hours. 



it is fometimes ufed to colour tooth-brufties. 



235. Pigeon Wood, or Zebra Wood. — Arbor foUis oblongo ova- 

 tis Jpicillis alaribiis, CsJc. Br. p. 368. 



This fhrubby tree is generally found in the mountains. It rifes to 

 about 18 feet in height, and rarely exceeds 5 Inches in the diameter of 

 its trunk. The wood is hard, of a clofe even grain, bears a good po- 

 lilli, and is beautifully ftriped and clouded. It is often remitted to 

 Great Britain, and ufed among the cabinet-makers chiefly for fineering. 



It refembles, in the colouring of the wood, what is called the bread- 

 nut in St. Ann's; but the latter is a tree of much larger diameter; 

 both are very proper for cabinet-work, and therefore valuable for ex- 

 port. This is not what is commonly called zebra wood, although it 

 well deferves the name, for the uniformity of its flripes. 



1 he fpecies of zebra wood at prefent in efleem among the cabinet- 

 makers, is brought to Jamaica from the Mofquito fhore; it is of amoft 



lovely 



