3 
various kinds of soils and under moisture conditions varying from 
dry rocky hillsides to the margin of swamps. In some cases 
the diseased areas were on spots where the soil was rich and 
deep and the moisture and drainage conditions perfect. It was 
not observed on the heavy clay lands toward the eastern end of 
the island, but whether this was due to the absence of infection 
or to the character of the soil could not be determined. 
“ Bastard” Logwood.—The logwood dye of commerce is 
extracted from the heart wood of mature trees of Haematoxylon 
Campechianum. In Jamaica occasional trees are found in which 
little or no haematoxylin is found. In its place is a substance 
yielding a dull yellowish-green dye. *Such sticks are rejected by 
logwood buyers for they not only yield none of the desired color- 
ing material, but if mixed with the normal wood in any quantity, 
do harm by spoiling the tint of the extract. Complaints have 
been reaching the Botanical Department of Jamaica, from certain 
quarters for some time, that the amount of this so-called bastard 
wood was increasing. The cause of this lack of haematoxylin in 
certain trees was one of the problems I was requested to investi- 
gate and considerable time was given toit. The facts ascertained 
are as follows :* (1) Logwood isa variable plant showing marked 
differences in form, color, and texture of leaf, time of blooming, 
form and extent of the ribs on the trunk, color of bark and 
especially in the color and dye-producing quality of the heart- 
wood. Four well-marked varieties are said to be recognized in 
Honduras and three are usually recognized in Jamaica, but there 
are many other intermediate forms. (2) Bastard wood is not the 
result of disease or of any lack of vigor. The trees producing it 
are perfectly healthy and normal. (3) It is not the result of soil 
or climatic conditions, since bastard and normal trees are found 
growing side by side under absolutely identical conditions. (4) 
It is not the result of immaturity. Aged trees may produce 
bastard wood, while in normal trees the heart-wood, as soon as 
formed, contains a good percentage of haematoxylin. These facts 
seem to point to heredity as the probable cause of the trouble. 
*I am under obligation to Dr. Amiel Bucher, Superintendent of the West India 
Chemical Works, for much information in regard to logwood. 
