420 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1950 



dark color is desired, the yarn may be boiled again in a fresh quantity 

 of the dye-lichen. If the desired color is black-brown, some braziline 

 (brazilwood chips) should be added. If dark brown color tones are 

 desired, best work with gray yarn. Wash as above. 



3. Rusty brown. — Ingredients: 250 grams of yarn, 40 grams of 

 alum, 15 grams of tartar, 2 kilograms of lichen. 



The yarn is mordanted in alum and a solution of tartar I/2 to 1 hour. 

 The lichen is boiled in a large quantity of water for 1 hour, after which 

 the mordanted yam is added and then boiled for 2 hours. The best 

 method is to have the hanks strung on sticks. If the yarn is not 

 turned over maculation will result. If a red tone is desired, the yarn 

 should be removed from the kettle and boiled half an hour in a solu- 

 tion of 30 grams of soaked madder. Wash as above. 



4. Dull brown. — Use four times as much crumbled lichen as yarn 

 by weight and soak in water 1 day before boiling. Then boil for 1 

 hour. Add a solution of soap to the unmordanted yarn and boil 

 another 2 hours, then permit it to cool. Remove the yarn and wash 

 as above. 



Getraria islandica. — This lichen, commonly known as Iceland moss, 

 grows abundantly in woods and in the mountains. It is loosely at- 

 tached to the ground, and is best collected in dry weather so as to save 

 the trouble of artificial drying before storage for winter use. Before 

 using place it in fresh water for softening, after which it is easy to 

 chop up. Like the dye-lichen, it gives beautiful brown colors but in 

 different shades, and has been found to be of value in dyeing suede, 

 since it produces the faint pastel tints desired by the trade (19a). 



1. Brown. — The lichen is cleansed, washed, and finely crumbled 

 before being placed in a kettle; layers of wool or yarn should be 

 alternated with lichen. Water is added and all is boiled half an 

 hour. Iron vitriol should be dissolved in warm water and carefully 

 added to the m.ass. This is boiled slowly and stirred constantly until 

 it is sufficiently dark. Wash as above. 



Usnea harbata. — This is the beard-lichen and occurs abundantly 

 in woods, growing on both coniferous and f oliaceous trees and wooden 

 fences, hanging down as a light gray beard. The lichen is branched, 

 soft, and elastic, and when it is pulled out the outer crust bursts and 

 a white horsehair-shaped inner tread is left. Wlien collected, this 

 lichen should be separated from needles and twigs. It gives a fine 

 red-yellow color. 



1. Red-yellow. — Ingredients : 250 grams of yarn, 32 grams of alum, 

 250 grams of beard-lichen. 



The yarn is, as usual, mordanted with alum. Boil the beard-lichen 

 1 hour and strain off, adding the yam to the solution and boiling for 



