436 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



SAFFEANIN. 



An important addition to the resources of the art of dye- 

 ing has lately been made in the discovery, by a French chem- 

 ist, of a method of preparing a substance from coal-tar which 

 completely replaces safflower and safflower carmine (derived 

 from Carthamus tinctorius), the price of which latter sub- 

 stances has been continually on the increase, in consequence 

 of the demand and the limited supply. The new dye is called 

 sairranin, and is furnished in the form of a thick paste, of a 

 bronze lustre, completely soluble in warm water, and more 

 resistant of chemical agencies than other aniline colors ; in 

 this respect showing quite a resemblance to the Perkins vio- 

 let. Saffranin belongs to the substantive aniline dyes, and 

 thus is a pigment coloring animal fibre directly. 



The economy of its use may be understood by the fact that 

 one pound will dye fifty pounds of cotton to a dark saffranin 

 rose of a beautiful color and great brilliancy ; and the same 

 quantity will suffice for eight pounds of silk, being thus three 

 times as potent as safflower carmine. Its effect upon wool is 

 very similar to that of fuchsin, producing a beautiful rose 

 color, superior to that of the fuchsin in brilliancy. For use 

 it is simply necessary to dissolve it in boiling water, and then 

 filter the solution. The liquid thus obtained can be applied 

 directly in coloring silk, although cotton naturally requires a 

 mordant. The fabrics dyed with this material can be dried 

 in heated rooms, in this respect being very different from 

 the safflower colors. 6 (7, February 16,1870,66. 



DYEING WITH SAFFEANIN. 



The delicate, rose-colored tint furnished by safflower has al- 

 ways been greatly admired, but the material for its produc- 

 tion is very expensive, difficult to keep unimpaired, and af- 

 fording a color of little durability. One of the many aniline 

 preparations lately discovered by a French chemist, and by 

 him named "saffranin," is said to be at least equal in bright- 

 ness to safflower, while far superior to it in all other respects. 

 It is claimed that it is much less expensive, much more dura- 

 ble, and can be manipulated more easily than safflower. A 

 bath of Marseilles soap, with a portion of the dye-stuff, suf- 

 fices to give a rose-colored ground to the yarn, while another 



