JA MAICA . 



BULLETIN 



OF THB 



BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT. 



Vol VI 



New Series January, 1900. — v~ 



NOTES ON DYE PLANTS. 



The followinor letter has been received from Dr. E. Bucher oF the 

 W. I. Chemical Works : — 



" It is very kind of you to ofler to let us have some more Persian 

 Berries seeds which 1 shall thankfully accept. The last seeds supplied, 

 a few years ago, would not grow. They had undergone a putrid fer- 

 mentation and were quite spoilt. 1 believe that those seeds were 

 already prepared for the market as a dye stuff, and could not be expected 

 to grow. I hope that your present supply is in a better condition. 

 Persian Berries are still pretty firm and are worth some twenty pounds 

 sterling per ton f. 0. b. Smyrna. 



" You will remember that you suppHed us at one time with East 

 India Indigo, Indigofera tinctoria. The Indigo grew very well, and 

 gave healthier plants than even the native Indigofera Anil. This is 

 unfortunately of no interest in view of the recent synthesis of Indigo. 

 Natural Indigo, which is very cheap already, will become cheaper and 

 cheaper, until it dies a natural death. 



" You will be glad to hear that all the India rubber plants sent to 

 us, both the Manihot Glaziovii and the Castilloa are doing splendidly. 

 The Manihot is just now bearing its first pods. I shall carry on culti- 

 vation on a large scale with that species. The Manihot seems to do 

 well in the poorest soil. I shall report to you from time to time as to 

 the progress of this cultivation. 



The Tinta Maria variety of Honduras Logwood imported by us is 

 rowing very well, and I expect to gather a good quantity of seed next 

 pring. If you wish I shall let you have some. The Tinta Nera 

 variety,' also from Honduras, is doing equally well. We have also 

 growing the less valuable Amarilla Catzim from Honduras. This latter 

 variety is coming up in a stunted condition, which is natural to that 



