﻿136 
  AGRICULTURE. 
  

  

  manner 
  as 
  to 
  be 
  perfectly 
  water-tight 
  ; 
  the 
  larger 
  one, 
  

   or 
  steeping-vat, 
  so 
  elevated 
  as 
  to 
  permit 
  the 
  draining 
  oif 
  

   of 
  the 
  liquid 
  into 
  the 
  smaller, 
  or 
  beater, 
  in 
  which 
  it 
  

   is 
  churned 
  or 
  agitated. 
  

  

  This 
  vat 
  was 
  usually 
  about 
  four 
  feet 
  deep, 
  eight 
  feet 
  

   wide, 
  and 
  about 
  fifteen 
  feet 
  in 
  length. 
  Two 
  or 
  three 
  

   pairs 
  of 
  these 
  vats 
  were 
  sufficient 
  for 
  the 
  largest 
  indigo 
  

   establishments 
  in 
  the 
  country. 
  One 
  pair 
  ordinarily 
  

   sufficed. 
  

  

  The 
  vats 
  were 
  placed 
  near 
  a 
  pond 
  of 
  clear 
  soft 
  water 
  

   (spring 
  or 
  hard 
  water 
  would 
  not 
  answer), 
  and 
  the 
  

   shallower 
  the 
  ponds, 
  and 
  the 
  greater 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  

   water 
  exposed 
  to 
  the 
  sun, 
  the 
  better. 
  

  

  Into 
  the 
  steeping-vat 
  the 
  indigo 
  weed, 
  as 
  cut, 
  was 
  

   thrown, 
  and 
  the 
  water 
  pumped 
  on 
  to 
  it. 
  The 
  steeping 
  

   generally 
  required 
  a 
  day 
  ; 
  but 
  this 
  depended 
  in 
  a 
  great 
  

   degree 
  upon 
  the 
  temperature 
  of 
  the 
  weather 
  during 
  the 
  

   process 
  and 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  water 
  used. 
  

  

  When 
  the 
  steeping 
  was 
  carried 
  to 
  the 
  proper 
  point, 
  

   and 
  the 
  fermentation 
  suffered 
  to 
  continue 
  until 
  all 
  the 
  

   coloring 
  matter 
  or 
  grain 
  was 
  extracted, 
  which 
  was 
  ascer- 
  

   tained 
  by 
  examining 
  the 
  liquid 
  in 
  a 
  silver 
  cup, 
  the 
  

   turbid 
  liquid 
  was 
  drawn 
  off 
  into 
  the 
  beater. 
  

  

  If 
  drawn 
  off 
  prematurely, 
  a 
  loss 
  in 
  the 
  coloring 
  matter 
  

   was 
  sustained, 
  and 
  if 
  deferred 
  too 
  long, 
  putrefactive 
  fer- 
  

   mentation 
  ensued, 
  which 
  injured 
  the 
  quality 
  of 
  the 
  dye. 
  

  

  Attached 
  to 
  a 
  shaft, 
  revolving 
  across 
  the 
  smaller 
  vat, 
  

   was 
  a 
  set 
  of 
  arms 
  or 
  paddles, 
  by 
  which 
  the 
  liquid 
  was 
  

   churned 
  or 
  agitated. 
  In 
  small 
  establishments, 
  the 
  shaft 
  

   or 
  beater 
  was 
  turned 
  by 
  hand, 
  but 
  generally 
  horse- 
  

   power 
  was 
  connected 
  with 
  it. 
  

  

  The 
  beating 
  or 
  churning 
  process 
  was 
  continued 
  for 
  

   several 
  hours, 
  during 
  which 
  the 
  precipitation 
  was 
  aided 
  

   by 
  adding 
  a 
  small 
  quantity 
  of 
  lime. 
  Other 
  substances 
  

  

  