234 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



height. It is thought by some, advantageous to pull it rather 

 early, without waiting for the ripening of the seeds ; as by 

 this means there will not only be the greatest proportion of 

 dye, but the land will be left at liberty for the reception of a 

 crop of wheat or turneps ; in this case, a small part must be 

 left solely for the purpose of seed. In the execution of the 

 work, the plants are drawn up by the roots in small hand- 

 fuls ; and after each handful had been tied up with one of 

 the stalks, they are set up in fours in an erect position, and 

 left to dry. Sometimes, however, they become sufficiently 

 dry by turning, without being set up. When dry, which is 

 effected in the course of a week or two, they are bound up 

 into larger bundles, each containing sixty handfuls, and weigh- 

 ing fifty-six pounds. Sixty of these bundles constitute a 

 load, and in places where this kind of crop is much grown, 

 are tied up by a string made for this purpose. 



The produce of weld depends much on the nature of the 

 season ; #nd from half a load to a load and a half per acre is 

 the quantity most commonly afforded. It is usually sold to 

 the dyers at from five or six to ten or twelve pounds ($25 to 

 $60) the load, and sometimes at considerably more. It is 

 sometimes gathered green and treated like woad or indigo ; 

 but in general the dried herb is used by the dyers in a state 

 of decoction. 



The use of weld in dying is for giving a yellow color to 

 cotton, woollen, mohair, silk and linen. Blue cloths are 

 dipped in a decoction of it, which renders them green ; and 

 the yellow color of the paint called Dutch pink, is obtained 

 from weld. 



To save seed, select a few of the largest and healthiest 

 plants, and leave them to ripen. The seed is easily sepa- 

 rated. The chief disease of weld is the mildew, to which it 

 is very liable when young, and this is the reason that it is 

 often sown with other crops." 



SUMACH (Rhus glabrnm, R. coriaria and R. cotinus). 



The Rhus glabrum is the common sumach of the United 

 States which grows spontaneously on fertile soils. It is con- 

 siderably used by dyers, and the tanners of light leather. 

 It is, however, much inferior to the R. coriaria or Sicilian 

 sumach, which is imported into this country from Spain, 

 Portugal, Sicily, Syria and elsewhere, and sells at from $50 

 to $120 per ton. It is a dwarf, bushy shrub, smaller than 

 the American, but with much larger leaves. These with 



