LICHENS 



often gives it to a patient who is recovering from a 

 severe illness. 



The powder looks very much like starch, and, like 

 it, swells in boiling water. When cooled it becomes 

 a fine, jelly like substance which is pleasant to the taste, 

 especially when sweetened and flavored. 



LICHENS AS DYESTUFFS 



DOES it not seem strange that some of our most 

 beautiful shades of red, violet, and yellow should be 



obtained from the simple little 

 lichens that cover the rocks? 



The plants that grow in such 

 places contain the, best coloring 

 matter. 



The orchil gives a beautiful 

 purple color. A man of Flor- 

 ence, Italy, claims to have dis- 

 covered in the sixteenth century 



The Orchil (A Bushy Lichen). . J 



the art of preparing dye from the 



orchil. In a short time he made a large fortune. The 

 secret was discovered, and the manufacture was carried 

 to Holland, where quite a trade in this lichen is still 

 carried on. It is believed by some that the use of the 

 orchil was known by the people of ancient Greece. 

 In temperate climates the orchil is found in small 



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