



202 POPULAR ECONOMIC BOTANY. 



of Campeachy^ was formerly the mart for logwood j but it is 

 now extensively cultivated in Jamaica^ and the chief trade 

 is removed to Belize^ a British settlement in the Bay of 

 Honduras^ whence immense quantities are annually ex- 

 ported. Logwood was introduced into England as a dye in 

 the reign of Queen Elizabeth^ but^ owing to the ignorance 

 of the dyers in fixing the colour, it fell into such disrepute 

 as to occasion the passing an Act of Parliament, entitled 

 an " Act for abolishing certain deceitful stufPs employed in 

 dyeing cloths this law remained in force, and prohibited 

 the use of logwood, until 1661, when it was repealed. 



This Hcematoxylon is a tree reaching fifty feet in height. 

 The wood is very hard and dense, having a greater specific 

 gravity than water; the. leaves are very handsome, they are 

 pinnate and of a fine dark glossy green colour ; the flowers 

 are pea-shaped, in fine yellow racemes. 



The colouring matter depends upon a peculiar principle 

 called hcematiny or Jioimatoxylm, a red crystalline substance, 

 which is so abundant in some samples as to exist in the 

 form of distinct blood-red crystals. The stems are cut into 

 large logs, and the bark and alburnum, or white wood, is 

 chopped off; the dark-red inner wood being the only 

 valuable portion. 



