Flowers of the Cartbamus TinSloiiits, fii 



table fubilances by means of fonie matter dilloived by the 

 oil. But the conftancy of the colour in alkaline falts oppofes 

 this conjecture; and it is more prolVahle that the Turks may 

 have dilcovered fome method of aflimilaling cotton ftufl's to 

 thofe made of wool, and of thus rendering them more capable 

 than thev naturally are of receiving the colouring fubftance. 

 The celebrated profefibr Pallas proved, a few years ago, 

 that this conjecture is not only probable, but even true. This 

 gentleman, who, in travelling through the immenfe provinces 

 of the Kuflian empire, directed his attention not only to ob- 

 ferving and coUedling animals, plants, and minerals, but alio 

 to various uncommon proceiTes employed by the inhabitants, 

 which might ferve to improve the arts of Europe, \\'as fo for- 

 tunate as to acquire a knowledge of the manner in which the 

 Armenians, who have retired to Aftracan on account of the 

 continual 'troubles in Perfia, dye cotton after the Turkifh 

 manner. This procefs, which the profeflor communicated 

 to the public in 1776 in the Peterlburgh Journal, I iliall 

 not deferibe at full length, but only relate a few circum- 

 ftances that may ferve to confirm my opinion, and to be a 

 guide to others in profecutino: experiments on this fubjecl. 



The cotton yarn is (leeped by the Armenians in iiih oil. 

 It is tlien dried in the open air, and this procefs is repeated 

 for feven davs and nights. The Armenians fay that no fiih 

 oil can be ufed but that which adumes a milky appearance 

 by the addition of an alkaline folution. I, indeed, fufpeib 

 that the fat of marine animals, and, in particular, filhes, is 

 much lofter and more fnbtle, and penetrates folid bodies 

 iDuch more eafily than tlie fat of other animals; and it is 

 for this reafon, in my opinion, that the Armenians ufe only 

 fifli oil, which can be readilv procured at Aftracan. 



The yarn which has imbibed a fufficiency of oil is wafhed, 

 dried, and dipped in an aftrlngeut liquor in which there is au 

 abundant mixture of alum. 



Cotton yarn thus prepared is dyed with the colouring 

 matter of madder which has been mixed with calves blood. 

 In my opinion, the dve of the madder is not only heightened 

 by the rednefs of the blood, but, as the red part of the blood 

 is of an oily nature, as is proved by the red globules, which j 

 by the helpof amicrofcope, are fecn floating on blood, it may 

 facilitate the entrance of the colouring matter into the pores 

 of the yarn, and the alkaline fait coglaincd in blood ads 

 flrongly on the colouring particles of the madder, which it 

 rxtrafts, as I have already proved by cxj^eriments with alka- 

 line fait?. 



When 



