﻿AGRICULTURE. 
  135 
  

  

  THE 
  CULTIYATIOI^ 
  AND 
  PREPARATION 
  OP 
  INDIGO. 
  

  

  The 
  tobacco 
  crop 
  being 
  no 
  longer 
  profitable, 
  indigo, 
  

   which 
  had 
  been 
  cultivated 
  for 
  some 
  time 
  in 
  Louisiana, 
  

   was 
  now 
  resorted 
  to.* 
  This 
  most 
  offensive 
  and 
  unwhole- 
  

   some 
  pursuit 
  was 
  nevertheless 
  the 
  most 
  profitable 
  one 
  

   in 
  which 
  the 
  planter 
  could 
  engage. 
  Seed 
  was 
  obtained 
  

   at 
  the 
  cost 
  of 
  about 
  fifty 
  dollars 
  per 
  barrel, 
  and 
  some 
  

   of 
  the 
  small 
  farmers 
  engaged 
  in 
  cultivating 
  the 
  indigo 
  

   exclusively 
  for 
  the 
  seed 
  to 
  supply 
  those 
  whose 
  larger 
  

   means 
  enabled 
  them 
  to 
  erect 
  the 
  necessary 
  fixtures, 
  and 
  

   to 
  prosecute 
  the 
  cultivation 
  and 
  manufacture 
  on 
  a 
  profit- 
  

   able 
  scale. 
  

  

  Indigofera 
  tincioria, 
  from 
  which 
  the 
  indigo 
  pigment 
  of 
  

   commerce 
  is 
  prepared, 
  said 
  to 
  have 
  been 
  introduced 
  from 
  

   India, 
  flourishes 
  luxuriantly 
  in 
  the 
  Southern 
  States, 
  

   where 
  a 
  variety 
  termed 
  the 
  Atramentum 
  a7iil 
  is 
  said 
  

   to 
  grow 
  spontaneously. 
  It 
  was 
  cultivated 
  in 
  drills, 
  and 
  

   required 
  careful 
  handling 
  when 
  young 
  and 
  tender, 
  the 
  

   subsequent 
  cultivation 
  being 
  similar 
  to 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  cot- 
  

   ton 
  plant. 
  

  

  When 
  mature, 
  in 
  good 
  land, 
  it 
  attained 
  the 
  height 
  of 
  

   about 
  three 
  feet. 
  It 
  was 
  then, 
  previous 
  to 
  going 
  to 
  seed, 
  

   cut 
  with 
  a 
  reap-hook 
  from 
  day 
  to 
  day, 
  tied 
  in 
  bundles 
  

   in 
  quantities 
  suited 
  to 
  the 
  capacity 
  of 
  the 
  steeping-vats, 
  

   to 
  which 
  it 
  was 
  immediately 
  transferred. 
  These 
  vats 
  or 
  

   uncovered 
  reservoirs 
  were 
  constructed 
  in 
  pairs 
  above 
  

   ground, 
  of 
  thick 
  plank 
  dovetailed 
  together 
  in 
  such 
  a 
  

  

  * 
  Indigo 
  had 
  not 
  been 
  cultivated 
  in 
  the 
  Natchez 
  District 
  as 
  late 
  as 
  

   1783, 
  and 
  until 
  after 
  the 
  failure 
  of 
  the 
  tobacco 
  business 
  it 
  was 
  produced 
  

   only 
  for 
  the 
  seed, 
  which 
  was 
  supplied 
  to 
  the 
  Point 
  Coupee 
  and 
  other 
  

   settlements 
  on 
  the 
  Mississippi. 
  

  

  