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RjtJiPOr ' n '0 R T U S' J A WA I C E N S I 3/ 43**" 



pMiiTc, anrl cit into squares of two inches each, wliich are rallied, under cover, in a 

 free air, witliotit exposure to tlie siiii, which would be vory linitfui to the colour of ti)3> 

 dye. Whilst it is in the drying house, it should l>e turned three or four times a day 

 t.T 'M-evenl Its rotting. The flies must likewise he driven from it. Care is taken to ha\0 

 it ti)orout',hlv dry hefore it is packed, because,, if it is put damp into the ca^lis for es- 

 portatioii, and headed up, it *ill sweat, and iuevitablybe spoiled. Ojod marketable 

 indigo should be of a fine, copperisli, biuc, colour, deep, and shinno,, with a sniootli- 

 o-rnin. It should break easily, swioi- lu wa<ter,- and Ixiru vjry iVeeiy, leaving some vviiit 

 cjudeps behind. . ... 



~ The fauics of indigo generally arise, first,^ ffonnf too dorr* a- p"utrefactibn, which gives 

 it a ciirtv hue ; so that it looks like black mould, or mud: secondly, -from too little 

 b^atino-; and then is ikii a coarse gram, and a greenish colour : thirdly, fron.i too muck 

 beatiii>'', whicii-always imbues it witti ;i black cast: tnurinly, from a mixture of the 

 pa. ticies-of iime, wii^n the imie-water has not bci.-.i sutEciently depi;rated, or wheR 

 toa large a quantity of tins water has beLa let in, which renders it greyish and hud : 

 frfthlv, for want of lime-water,^ or when none is-used ; by which neglect, it nevep 

 conxvs to a due o-ranulation, nor settles well, and deposits only an -inconsiderable part 

 of tUe substance. From ail whicii it appear.--,, that nu s-iiall degree of skiii and attentior* " 

 are required in conducting and perfecting tiiis manufacture ; aoJ hence we may easily, 

 eonceive, how the right management of it 'ame to be lost in Jianaicu, after the planters 

 had for M;:.my years disused it ; for mu-ti depends on the knowledge gained by a long 

 course of experience and obser'-ation, to direct the exact deL,iee of fermentation, of 

 bentiu"-, and application of clie hme-temper, as wuii as tne method of curing and dry-. " 



insr for tae market.* - 

 ^ This 



* 1?he foUowing account of an essentia! improvenv-nt in the prepArati in of indieo, is a translation from tlic 

 French of Citiz< 11 Biillv ; It ought to bi' ^aiiiert . .-.itii great prcca.aiun, t'ur fa' o'l Kial;i<is; tiie faiii.i tliat 

 lit'S o.i the icavf.s, a'li is very valuahle, fill otf. Xr't. r iloscrihiiip t!ie tir( prnrtss of oii^t iiT and ni.i'-f t iCng; 

 he thus nioceeils : " To hiiiig the mac< ration to it~ nifiniate point ri quires from'ffi^ en to thirty-six. h. urs, 

 according to the tempeiattire of the atiMosp; ei c, at the tune of the oceratios. It i- aiso necessury to take 

 into consideration, the quality of the indigo pla-it, the natvr.e of tne suii that has [.ro.iuced it, and that of the 

 water in which it is immersed. Thetiist ii;d: atiort '"rom ahic'iit is judfred that the process of maceration 8p-i 

 proai'hcs its ultimate poi^t, is the siid.ing of the .scum, which has e:evated ii.sclf-iuto the space oif aijout iialf 

 a foot which wa.s left unfiUed in the v^.t..- When tUis-soi'm ha.s Deconie a kind of cntst, ef a copper-bine co- 

 lour, it is then thouplit to be suffieif. tly niaeeraied. However, tiiis piau was often in.suihcieht, and there 

 v-as'anotlier nv.tiio I on which picatii reliance conM ue p-laSeif; this tc.nsi.stej M' drawing o^f a smalt quantity 

 of the water, by meaHs of a cook in tlie lo-.vev part of the vat; this being rccefved in a silvr!- cup,-iiotice is -^ 

 taken whetlier the t'ecula ten !s to precipitate itself to the botwm of the cnp,;ffon(i whence the macej-ation ig 

 then supposed to be perfect.- Siieli was the process most generally piaco.e!, but it often led iitji error ; To 

 avoid this, we have sten means, which consi.-ts in areuratcly observrnri; f.l.e rfater coutiinefrin the'-cup ; five 

 or six minutes after it nas been poured therein, it forms round fiie *iides a rin? 8 o<!*e, which.is at first of ^ 

 green colour, jfeut afterwards becomes i. hie. So Jon as the maceration haiij HuC produce I its pi 0,11 r eftect, 

 this ling I. tachei itself with dirtieolty fom tlu. sides of the cup, but at la.t it is seett to |necipitate and con- 

 C(;ntratentaelf at the bottom of the v'e mI, aiways towar I the centre, under tiie water, whicli is h( come lim- 

 pid, thounh with a yello vish tim;^. When thei^e appearances are observed, tlley infalMbly in licate tlie snc* 

 cess of this first operation. Tlie 'water is then drawn ort into a second basiai or tub; placeil beneath the first. 

 This second tub is termed the biUl.rk. as its use i- for beatrng tlie water, still charged with the fe.'iita. la 

 Ordrr tint it may separate quickK, 11 i agitate !, eiiher 1 , iiand laiiour or the p-.-.ver of a mill, taking Care 

 not to agitate ii tO', lo m_', in which ca e the feciil.i would be rcmi.'icd with the water, and, in-fead of indigo, 

 jHjthing more than mud ly water won! I be prodii.-rj , but, to avoid this, it onlyrc.-uires attention. It is 

 afterwards drawn otf from the AoHni.', to a third or smaller receiver called t]it: diulUntin ; we then tiud the 

 iatterie covere.-! with a vi ry liquid lihie pa.ste, which is put into bags of carse linen clotii, of tiie form of iii* 

 erted ccnes, which sulf r the watery parts to run otf; the bags are aftirw.ir Is c njitie 1 iipo i tables ir. the'i 

 4i7ing roam-, wlieid thi; bine paste is kiiealel, aaj, af > it i.is a-q.iiied a de iser consist-'.icp, it is sjireadS^^ 

 "OuiiiuJ-Ctttiulo suull snuaresj iu order that xt maj drjr tiic soouerj after wUicli it ia ready for sale." 



