RJD7G0 ' HORTUS JAMAICENSTS: 42 1 



clear. They are built with masonry, and lined with a strong terraf^, like the steeper, 

 or ot close grained plank (not cedar) of t.vo inches and an half tuick, -.wiU fastened to 

 the frame wilh large spike nails, and cau.kcd to prevent leaking. Vats of these di- 

 nicnsioiis are pr()per for about seven acres of the pi iit. 



When every thing is m readiness, the plant is * tit,* and rc2;idar!y laid in the steeper,, 

 with the stalk upwards (wnich hastens the- termentation), till this vat is thre'e-parts 

 full. A number of rails are tiien laid the'vvhole length of the v: t, at the distance of 

 about eighteen inches from one another ; these are strongly wedged down, by means 

 of timbers, waich are matie to press upon them, to prevent the plant fro. n buoying up 

 when water is put upon tiieiu. The softest watjr answers best for the purpose ; and as 

 much IS let in as the weea vdl invbi()e, covering it with a surface of four or five inches. 

 In this State it is left to ferment. I iwenty-ioui' honrs it grows so hot, that no one 

 can bear the hand in it ; and, if tite process goes on well, it will bnbble like water in a 

 pot upon tilt hre, and shew a tinge of very dusky blue. Great nicety is required, as 

 well in not sufligrii-.g the tender tcps to run into putrefactiiJO,' which might spoil the 

 whole, a&in drawing off the water at the critical moment ; for if it is drawn two hours 

 too soon, great pan -i the pulp will be lost ; and if the fcrni.rntation is kept on as mucli 

 too long, the labour will be lost. 



To avoid tiiese disasters, a handful of the weed is frequently taken" out; and, when 

 the lops are observed to lieconie very tender and pale, and the stronger leaves to chanije 

 their Colour to a less lively pale, this is known to be the proper point ;t and the liquor 

 must be speedily drawn oii" into the second vat, there to be thoroughly beaten and in- 



corpor..ted ; 



* Some persons are of opinion that tiie plants shouid not he cut nearcl- the ground than six inches, anJ tliat 

 a few branches should be Idt on the stem. This practice, they say, will draw up the sap better, au I pro- 

 dnce a more Inxiiria-.it ratoon than when a naked slalli only is left. Burins; the tirst ciittins; it is Hsiial to 

 !eave soiae of the most Houri.hinij stalks for seed, whiih ouffht not to be satiiercd until it is well hardened in 

 the pod. It ijineraUy requires ten bushels of the pod to produce a single ijiisiiel of clean dry seed fit for sow- 

 ing. It may also be observed, that many in lisro planters have a notion th.at Ihe plant yields the greatest 

 quantity of the dye, when cnt at the full of tlie moon. Of this fact I can assert norMinj;. Sdwards. 



t To obtain a cer;ain knowledge of the proper degree of fciinentation lias hitherto been the mand deside- 

 ratum of the cultivaton Repeated experiments for this ^>uipose were made some years ago in the island of 

 Hispaniola, under the -anctiou ami encouragement of IheCliamber of Agiieulture, and insUuctions (vvhicli 

 were said tii be practised with great success by Messrs. Dang late and Mongol), indigo plantei-s in that island) 

 were published l)y authority, 10 this efiect : 



" After tlie indigo has been steeped in the cistern ei>;Utt)r nine hours, draw off a li't!" of the water, and, 

 with a pen dipped into it, mike a few strokes upon wiiite paper. The first will probabiy be high coloured,., 

 in which case llie indigo is not sutl'.ciently fermented ; this operation is to be rcpe.tted eveiy quarter of aa 

 hour, ufitil it loses its colonr ; when it is arrived at the true pniiit of fernnntation.'' 



It is astonishing that an e;iaeriment so simp!e in itself, if it answers, shindl hiwc bccirfoi' so many years 

 imknovrrto tlie indigo piaiiter.- in general; ami I confess, ti^at, alth lugh I have had no opportunity of giving- 

 it a trill, I am myself somewhat Jjubtful of its etfieacy, Tlic f illowmg method, which 1 giv* on tlie autho- 

 rity of Mr Ledia"-!, is, I conceive, attended- with mncii greater cetai. ty 



, " Let a small hole be made in. the steeper, si. v or eight inches from the bottnn, exclns^e of the openin", 

 or ap'.rtine for drawing off the inipreeinited water; let this hole likewise be stopped v^itll a plug, yet not s 

 fiinily hut that a small stream may ht permitted to ooze through it. After the plants have been stecpe;! 

 some hours, the Aiid ooziiit' ot -will appear beautifully green, ard at- the lower edge of the cistern, from. 

 whence it drops, in't/j. the battery, it will turn of a cojiperish colour. T .is copperish hue, as the fermeiitatioa 

 eoi'tiuu*.', will gradually ascend upwards to the plug, and, when that circinnstanec is perceived, it is propel' 

 lo stop the fermentation. 



" During the progress of this part of the business, particular attention should be paid to the smell of the 

 liquor whiih vieeps from the apertme; for, should it discover any sourness, it will be necessary to let the; 

 fermented liquor run immediately into the battery, a -d lime-water of sufrieient strength must he added to it, - 

 icti! it has lo t its sourness. As it is ranniiif oif it will app ar green, mi.xed with a biigUt jeliow, or sti,tj 

 e^ioui-;^ but ia the battery it will be of a uiost btaulifiil green." EUwarils' History, 



