OMe TONUNE OW FMB  jnge 
men of this root to the diers in Philadelphia, they informs 
ed me that it was madder, and that by tranfplantinz and 
cultivating it, for a few years, it would become exatly 
fimilar to the imported madder of the fhops. In its natural 
ftate, it grows in low iwampy grounds, and fpreads along 
the ground, near the furface. The roots are of various 
lenoths, fome of them being not more than an inch or two, 
whilft others are tivo feet, long: their thicknefs feldom 
exceeds that of a ftraw. 
Thefe roots, when frefh, for the moft part, put on an 
orange appearance, though fome of them are yellow; bat 
after they are dried, which they muft be, before they can 
be ufed with fuccefs, the outfide appears of a dark brown:. 
when broken, however, the infide appears red. From . 
every root arifes one limber ftalk, which is commonly from 
fix to eighteen inches high: at the diftance of about half 
an inch there are four {mall leaves, and on the top is the 
feed-veffel, which comes to maturity in September, and is 
of aconic form. In fome fwampy‘fituations, I have found, 
this vegetable growing fo plentifully, that feveral hand- - 
fulls of it might have been gathered within the compafs . 
of a yardortwo.. | } 
The Indians pound the roots of the Haw ta the caugh » 
ina mortar, with the addition of the acid juice obtained 
from the crab-apple. They, then, throw the whole into a 
kettle of water along with the fubftance to be died, and 
place the veflel over a gentle fire, until the colour is pro- - 
perly fixed. : 
It is by this procefs that the Indians die the white hair 
of deer-tails and the porcupine-quills, with which they or- 
nament themielves, of a red colour. I have alfo feen a 
fpecimen of wool which one of them had died of a beau- 
titul red in the fame manner. I made experiments with 
this red and the vegetabie-acid, and fucceeded. Ialfoem- 
ployed 
