656 TEE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



into pieces about two inclies square and laid out to dry. The dry- 

 ing house was made of logs so arranged as to allow free access of 

 air without exposure to the sun, " which was very pernicious to 

 the dye " ; as indigo, if placed in the sun, " in a few hours would 

 be burnt up to a perfect cinder/' While in the drying house the 

 indigo was carefully turned three or four times a day to prevent 

 it from " rotting." Care was also taken to keep away flies, since 

 " at this season of the year they are hatched in millions and infect 

 an indigo plantation like a plague." Care was also necessary that 

 the indigo should be sufficiently dry before being packed, lest 

 after it was headed up in barrels it should " sweat " and so be- 

 come spoiled for the market. In packing the indigo the lumps 

 were brushed to make them look as bright as possible. 



While the indigo was curing it had an offensive smell, and we 

 read that "as the dregs of the weed are full of salts and make 

 excellent manure they should be immediately buried underground 

 when brought out of the * steeper.' " 



The season for making indigo in Carolina ended with the be- 

 ginning of frosty weather, and the planters brought their indigo 

 to market about the end of the year. The merchants judged of 

 its quality by breaking it and observing the closeness of the grain 

 and the brilliant copper or violet-blue color. The weight also 

 showed the quality, for heavy indigo of every color was always 

 bad. Fire afforded another test, as good indigo was almost en- 

 tirely consumed, but the bad would leave a quantity of ashes. 



Probably these numerous details in the process were abbrevi- 

 ated by many of the indigo-makers. But there were many grades 

 of professional reputation among indigo planters, dependent on 

 the nicety of their work. 



In addition to the risks attending the manufacture of indigo, 

 there were others connected with the growth of the crop. Du 

 Bose writes : " The great enemy of the crop was the grasshopper, 

 which would sometimes destroy the crop in a few days. The best 

 remedy against this enemy was chickens. I recollect that my 

 father was in the habit every year of sending into the swamp 

 fields several hundred chickens. Movable coops were furnished 

 for their accommodation by night, but no food. Nor did they 

 require any so long as the grasshopper infested the fields. Those 

 who could not use chickens suffered the margins of their fields 

 to grow up to grass. The grasshoppers, driven from the fields 

 with whipping brushes, would alight in the grass, which was 

 then fired." 



The indigo for exportation was brought into Charles-Town in 

 wagons, and the owners received the proceeds in the form of 

 Spanish silver coin, which composed almost the entire currency 

 before the Bank of the State was established in 1812. It was a 



