334 On the Cultivation and Manufacture of Woddi 



smell — from that which is most putrid and offensive, to one 

 which is more agreeable and sweet, (if I may be allowed the 

 term,) for few people at first either can approve of the smell 

 of woad, or of a woad vat; though, when in condition, 

 they become quite agreeable to those whose business it is to 

 attend them. Woad is in this state of fermentation more 

 or less time, according to the season and the degree of 

 heat it is suffered to attain, whether at an early period, or 

 according to the opinion of those who attend the process ; 

 but the best woad is produced from a heat temperately 

 brought forward in the couch until at maturity, and turned, 

 (on every occasion necessary,) which a proper degree of at- 

 tention will soon discover. 



These balls, when dry, are very hard and compact, and 

 require to be broken to pieces with a mallet, and put into a 

 heap, and watered to a due degree, only sufficient to pro- 

 mote fermentalion, but not by too much moisture, which 

 would retard it; and here is a crisis necessary to be attended 

 to. When the couch has attained its due point, it is opened, 

 spread, and turned, until regularly cooled, and thcii it is 

 considered in condition for sale : but the immediate use of 

 woad new from the couch is not advised by dyers who are 

 experienced; for new woad is not so regular in its fermen- 

 tation in the blue vat. This is the common process*. Woad 

 oftentimes is sjioiied herein, by people who know nothing 

 of the principles of its dye, following only their accustomed 

 process of i:)reparing it; and hence the diB'erence in its 

 quality is as often seen, as it is in the real richness or po- 

 verty of the leaves, from the quality of the land. The pro- 

 cess for preparing woad which I have followed, and which 

 I consider lieyond all comparison best, is as follows : 



Gather the leaves, put them to drv, and turn them, so as 

 nut to let them heat, and so be reduced to a paste; which, 

 in fine weather, children can do. In wet weather, my me- 

 thod was to carry them to my slove, and when i had got a 

 quantity sufficiently dry, I proceeded to the couch, and there 

 put them in a larijc heap ; where, if not too dry, they would 

 soon begin to feruieui and heat. If too wet, they would 

 rot, but not properly ferment, nor readily become m con- 

 dition for the dyer. These leaves not having been ground, 

 nor placed in balls on the hurdles, their fermenting quality 

 was more active, and required more attention; and also the 

 application of lime oceasionallv to regulate the process with 

 ttie same kind of judgcm;;nt as used in the blue dying woad 

 vat. When the heal increases too rapidly, turning is in- 

 dispensably necessary, and ll>e applicallon of very fine flour 



lime 



