BRAZILLETTO. 361 



with wax and considerably heated, the colour changes 

 through all the shades of brown and at last becomes 

 fixed of a chocolate hue. 



A fine crimson red lake is prepared from this 

 colouring matter by precipitating it when in a state 

 of solution with alum. The average annual quantity 

 imported for the last five years is 950 tons. Its 

 price has very much fallen off, differing from ^65, in 

 1826, to <35 per ton in 1830. A duty of 2 per 

 ton is charged on the importation of Brazil-wood. 



A species of this tree grows in the West Indies, the 

 wood of which is known in commerce as Brazilletto. 

 It is of the same kind, but of very inferior quality 

 to the Brazil-wood. The duty charged on its 

 importation from British possessions is only 3s. per 

 ton, and in consequence it can be obtained on much 

 cheaper terms than that from South America. Some 

 years ago the demand for it was so great that it was 

 cut down with unsparing hand, and scarcely any of the 

 large trees were left in the British plantation. This 

 species is known to botanists as Ccesalpinia vesicaria; 

 it never attains to so large a growth as the Ccesalpinia 

 crista. Its branches are slender and full of small 

 prickles ; the flowers are white, growing in a pyramidal 

 spike at the end of a long slender stalk. 



Sapan-wood is another dyeing substance obtained 

 from another species of the same genus. It is 

 distinguished as Ccesalpinia sapan. The flowers of 

 this and the vesicaria have ten stamina ; those of the 

 crista have only five. There is scarcely any con- 

 sumption of this wood in England ; very few tons 

 being annually imported. Its price averages from ten 

 to sixteen pounds per ton, and it is admitted on a 

 duty of fifteen shillings per ton. 



