4 
That is, that certain trees produce only bastard wood because 
they grow from the seed of a bastard tree; or in other words 
that bastard logwood represents a variety of Haematoxylon Cam- 
pechianum that normally produces little or no haematoxylin, just 
as one Honduras variety has smaller, shorter, thinner and lighter 
colored leaves. Experiments now in progress at Hope Gardens, 
Jamaica, and at the New York Botanical Garden with seedlings 
from the seed of bastard and of normal trees should in time settie 
this question conclusively. No data were obtained to show 
whether or not the trouble was increasing as is claimed by some. 
An increase could be readily accounted for by the fact that on 
many estates a tree that is chipped into and found to be bastard 
has been allowed to stand and produce continued crops of seed, 
while the normal trees have been cut down on reaching maturity. 
A wise policy would insure the prompt destruction of such trees 
whenever detected, as they have no value except for firewood, 
and should not be allowed to produce seed. It is unfortunate 
that there seems to be no constant difference in leaf or trunk by 
which these bastard trees can be distinguished, that would allow 
of their still earlier destruction. 
Cocoanut Bud Disease.—Outbreaks of a serious disease of cocoa- 
nut trees have occurred on Jamaica at various times. Some years 
ago the groves in the neighborhood of Montego Bay * were 
badly injured by it and the industry was completely destroyed on 
the Grand Cayman f island, probably by the same trouble. At 
present it is attracting but little attention although numerous 
cases of it exist widely scattered over the western end of the 
island, a few being observed as far to the eastward as Port An- 
tonio. It was not observed to the east of a line between Port 
Antonio and Kingston. One of the first symptoms of the disease 
is the dropping of the immature nuts. In some cases the lower 
clusters hang on and reach maturity however. The leaves droop 
a little, and become somewhat yellow. Often those that are 
just unfolding are seen to be distorted and blackened on the: 
edges. The young flower buds still enveloped in the spathe 
* See Bulletin of the Botanical Department, Jamaica, Sepieuiber 1891, - 2. 
t See Bulletin of the Botanical Department, Jamaica, February, 1889, p. 3. 
