Tlcioers of the Carthamus TlnBorius. 59^ 



I refolved to make fome experiments, alio, on dyeing cotton 

 with the flowers of the carthamus ; efpecially as no perfon, 

 as far as I know, had ctr btfore (hown w hat efic6l might 

 be produced by the beaun.Ml red dye of this flower. 



The celebrated Poerner ' made, indeed, various experi- 

 ments on cotton; but his onlv relate to the faffron-colourcd 

 dye of the plant; nor did he employ an\ alkaline fait to ex- 

 trait the red dye. Schtiltrf alfo made experiments on the 

 fame fubjecl ; but mv obfervation < have not bc-en anticipated 

 by his, fince he tells us, that the method of dyeing cotton 

 and filk with thefe flowers is the fame, ihoutrh it may be 

 eafily proved that there is a very elfential difflrerA-e. But, 

 before I give an account of mv experiments, let me be per- 

 mitted to make a few obfervations refpcCfting the art of dyeing 

 cotton in general. 



No doubt can be entertained that it is more difficult to dye 

 cotton than to dve wool or fllk. Every thing made of wool 

 readily imbibes the dve : filk imbibes it with more difticulty : 

 but cotton rejefts all dves fo much, that ihofe which itnme- 

 diatelv penetrate wool, and tince it with a ftrong colour, 

 fcarcely communicate any tint whatever to the latter, and 

 even the dve which adheres to it may be eafily difcharged, 

 and oft-times by water alone. For this rcaion, there is 

 fcarcelv any colour on cotton, except that called the Turkey 

 red, which is either agreeable to the iioiht or of a durable 

 nature. But, if we wifli to inquire into the caufe ot this dif- 

 ference, we mull attend to the nature of the two lubftances. 



There can be no doubt that wool contains a larger quan- 

 tity of fat, or inflammable matter, than cotton. We have 

 reafon likewife to coujcfture, that wool, and the hair of ani- 

 mals, have more and larger pores, as well as more capacious 

 fibres, than thofe fubflances procured from vegetables. The 

 great objc6l, then, will be, to remove by art that difference 

 which there is between animal and vegetable fLdjflanccs. 

 That the fniallnefs of the pores or libres can be corrected by 

 art, we have fcarcelv reafon to hope : but we may make 

 choice of colouring fubftances well diluted and foft, and as 

 fluid and penetrating as pofllible, that is, rather ialine than 

 earthy ; and may alfo prepare or macerate the cotton in fuch 

 liquors as arc capable of rendering it^ fibres fofler and loofer, 

 Daiiv experience, however, fliows that much cannot be ef- 

 fedted in this manner; for though cotton, by means of falts, 

 may be made to imbibe various dyes, yet they are eafily 



• Poerncr Farbcrey-Verfuche, vol. iii. p. 13S. 



f Schtfftr Chemilche Vorlcfun^cn iibtilczt von Wci^^cl, p. 6 7<; 



\vafllC(i 



