338 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

 SUBSTANCES WHICH AFFORD A VIOLET DYE. 



LOGWOOD OTHER PLANTS. 



ALL the intermediate shades of violet, purple, &c. 

 may be obtained from the mixture of red and blue, 

 varying according to the different proportions wherein 

 these colours are applied. There are, however, 

 some few vegetable substances which yield a violet 

 or purple dye without being combined with another 

 colour, and therefore a notice of these claims a 

 separate chapter. 



The most important of these is logwood which is 

 largely used in dyeing, and more especially in com- 

 bination with other ingredients to form a black dye ; 

 the natural colour it imparts is however violet, it 

 cannot therefore be classed among those dyes which 

 are wholly used in the production of a black colour. 



Logwood, or Hcematoxylum campechianum^ is a 

 native of the western world, having been first dis- 

 covered in the bays of Campeachy and Honduras 

 growing in the greatest luxuriance arid abundance. 

 It was known as a dye-wood as early as the reign of 

 Elizabeth, but its use was forbidden by an act of 

 parliament for " abolishing certain deceitful stuffs 

 employed in dyeing cloths." The act sets forth 

 *' that logwood, or blockwood, of late years brought 

 into this realm, is expressly prohibited to be used by 

 dyers, the colours thereof being false and deceitful 

 to the queen's subjects at home, and discreditable 

 beyond seas to our merchants and dyers." The 

 injunction against the use of this valuable dye was 



