256 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



There are several theories as to the function of the chalk, or carbonate of lime ; by some, 

 it is supposed to act by saturating an acid present; by others, it is thought that the combi- 

 nation of two different bases with the coloring matter gives much more solidity to the dye, 

 in consequence probably of a greater insolubility in the compound formed. Experiments 

 made in Germany seem to prove that in all instances of ifiadder-dyeing under the influence 

 of chalk, a certain amount of lime becomes added to the aluminous mordant, and in a subse- 

 quent clearing with a soap-bath some of the alumina is removed, and there remains upon 

 the fibre of the cloth the two earths lime and alumina, in atomic proportions, or nearly 

 so. The madders subjected to analysis were American, Avignon, and Turkey. The American 

 was grown in Montague, Massachusetts, on the farm of Martin H. Clapp, and the roots used 

 were of four years' growth. The land upon which it was grown is the "interval" lying 

 near the Connecticut River; it was treated with twenty loads of strong green manure, and one 

 hundred pounds of plaster to the acre ; Indian corn was grown upon it the year previous to 

 planting with madder. The next year the manure and plaster were applied as before, and 

 the madder-roots planted. The crop was cultivated the last three years in the same manner 

 as potatoes, with the addition of one shovelful of well-rotted manure and a little plaster to 

 each hill, late in the autumn of each year. The different samples were burned in a muffle, 

 without regard to the percentage amount of ash which each variety yielded. 



The different ashes were found to consist of 



American. French. Turkey. 



Chloride of sodium 2-61 3-76 4-71 



Carbonate of potassa 7'45 4-40 5-50 



Carbonate of soda 39-23 9-78 22-71 



Silica 8-48 25-86 27'71 



Phosphate of lime 12-75 19-75 17'85 



Carbonate of lime 23'39 32-76 18-35 



Carbonate of magnesia 6-05 (?) 3*14 



Alumina 3-66 (?) 



99-96 99-97 99-97 



The American madder, when treated with from four to six per cent, of chalk, gives colors 

 every way superior to the best French. The "pinks" and "roses" stand the process d'Avi- 

 sage, furnishing colors which are more "pink" and "rosy" than the French; it also furnishes 

 a purple of a much more desirable shade than that obtained from the French. Used in equal 

 weights, the American gives deeper colors than the French, showing a greater percentage of 

 coloring matter. The ground French madder, as imported, will, if treated with an addi- 

 tional amount of carbonate of lime, furnish colors which are inferior to those produced by the 

 Bame article without this addition. 



The French madder will, if treated with a dilute acid, effervesce strongly. This effer- 

 vescence will not take place by treating any other of the ground woods or plants used in 

 dyeing in the same way, and seems to indicate the presence of a free carbonate. The Dutch 

 madders have always needed an addition of carbonate of lime to produce brilliant and "fast" 

 colors, but within a few years Dutch madders have been imported, ground on the French pro- 

 cess. These do not need any addition of carbonate of lime. The Dutch madders, as formerly 

 imported, will not effervesce when treated with a dilute acid. The new "Dutch roots 

 ground on the French process," when treated in the same manner, show evident signs of the 

 presence of a carbonate. 



It would seem as if all that is needed to obtain as good a reputation for the American 

 madders as any in the world, is to have them ground on the French process, which, from the 

 deportment of the different varieties of madder when treated with carbonate of lime, would 

 lead to the supposition that there is a certain amount of carbonate of lime added to the best 

 French roots during the process of grinding. 



There seems to be a fair inducement for the farmers and growers of New England to culti- 

 vate madder; for although Mr. Clapp labored under many disadvantages, such as building 

 and procuring an entire set of apparatus, drying kilns, &c., and obtaining but about one- 

 third of a crop from his land as compared with the crops raised in Western New York, still 

 he lost only the interest on the land cultivated. 



