MADDER 159 



In the district of Avignon, in France, the cultivation of the plant commenced about 

 the year 1666, under Colbert, but it was chiefly by the efforts of the Secretary of State, 

 Bertin, towards the close of the last century, that it became firmly established there! 

 The French dyers and printers are supplied with madder from Avignon and Alsace, 

 and large quantities are also exported from France into England and other countries. 

 Madder is also grown for the use of dyers in Silesia, Naples, and Spain. It was 

 formerly more extensively cultivated in England than it is now, when it can be 

 imported at a less expense than it can be raised. The Eulia pcregrina grows wild in 

 the south of England, but it is not applied to any useful purpose. 



The Eubia tinctorum is one of the least conspicuous and ornamental of our culti- 

 vated plants. In external appearance it bears great resemblance to the ordinary 

 bed-straws or Galiums, with which it is also botanically allied. Some species of 

 galium seem also to contain a red colouring matter, and one of them, the G. verum, is 

 used in the Hebrides for dyeing. The S. tinctorum belongs to the class Tetrandria, 

 order Monogynia, of the Linnaean, and the order Rubiacese, of the Natural system. It 

 is a perennial plant, but has an herbaceous stem, which dies down every year. The 

 main part of the root, which extends perpendicularly downwards to a considerable depth, 

 is cylindrical, fleshy, tolerably smooth, and of a pale carrot colour. On cutting it 

 across transversely, it is found to consist externally of a thin cortical layer, or 

 epidermis, to which succeeds a thick, spongy mass of cellular tissue, filled with a 

 yellow juice, and in the centre runs a thin tough string of woody fibre, of a rather 

 paler yellow colour than the enveloping cellular tissue, which may easily be peeled 

 off. The root when freshly cut has a yellow colour, but speedily acquires a reddish 

 tinge on exposure to the air. Many side roots issue from the upper part or head of 

 the parent root, and they extend just beneath the surface of the ground to a con- 

 siderable distance. It in consequence propagates itself very rapidly, for these 

 numerous side roots send forth many shoots, which, if carefully separated in the 

 spring, soon after they are above ground, become so many plants. From the roots 

 spring forth numerous square-jointed stalks, which creep along the ground to the 

 length of from 5 to 8 feet. Round each joint are placed in a whorl from 4 to 6 

 lance-shaped leaves, about 3 inches in length, and almost an inch wide at the 

 broadest part. The upper surface of the leaves is smooth, but their margin and keel, 

 as well as the four angles of the stem, are armed with reflexed prickles, so as to cause 

 the plant to adhere to any rough object with which it comes in contact. The flowers, 

 which are yellow, are arranged in compound panicles, which rise in pairs opposite to 

 each other from the axils of the leaves. The calyx is very small. The corolla is small, 

 campanulate, and 5-cleft. The flower contains 4 stamens, and 1 style. The fruit or 

 berry is at first red, but afterwards becomes black. It consists of two lobes, each of 

 which contains a seed. 



The Rubia tinctorum thrives best in a warm climate, and if grown in the north of 

 Europe a warm sheltered situation should be chosen. A deep, dry soil, containing an 

 abundance of humus, is best adapted for its cultivation. A rich loam, in which 

 there is a large proportion of sand and but little clay, is preferable to the stiffer soils. 

 As the plant requires to be left in the ground several years, it is not one which can 

 be adapted to any system of rotation of crops, and its cultivation must be carried on 

 independently. Land which has lain for a considerable time in grass is preferred to 

 any other for the purpose. At all events, it is well not to allow it to follow on root crops. 

 The finest qualities of madder grow in calcareous soils. In the district called Palud, 

 which produces the best quality of French madder, the soil contains about 90 per 

 cent, of carbonate of lime, and is moreover capable of yielding several successive crops 

 of the plant ; whereas the land which grows the second quality called rosee is richer, 

 but less calcareous, and can only be made to grow madder alternately with other crops. 

 The land must be well dug up with the spade about the beginning of autumn, and before 

 winter. The manure used must be well rotten, and mixed with earth in a compost some 

 time before it is used. Good stable-dung, which has heated to a certain degree and been 

 turned over two or three times before it is mixed with earth, is the best. The dung 

 should be put in layers with the earth, and if the whole can be well-watered with 

 urine or the drainings of the yard, and then mixed up by the spade, the compost 

 will be much superior to fresh dung alone. The manure having been dug or ploughed 

 in, the land is left over winter, and in spring it is turned over again, in order to 

 destroy all weeds, and make the soil uniform to the depth of 2 feet at least. After 

 having been harrowed flat it is ready for planting. Madder is generally grown from 

 suckers or shoots, rarely from seeds. The shoots are prepared by cutting in the 

 previous autumn, from the secondary roots of old plants, pieces at least 5 inches 

 long and of the thickness of a quill, each length containing several joints for the 

 development of buds, and preserving them through the winter in a dry place by 

 covering them over with litter or leaves. Before planting, the land is in some dia- 



