wo A 



WOL 



.517 



though the drill-husbandry is the 

 most advantageous. At the end of 

 two or three weeks, the plants must 

 be hoed at the distance of at least 

 six inches ; after which they will 

 require no further attention, ex- 

 cept a careful weeding in October, 

 and particularly in the month of 

 March. 



The proper time for gathering 

 the leaves is determined by their 

 full growth, and the first change of 

 colour at their points ; they are cut 

 with an edged tool, and collected 

 into baskets by women and chil- 

 dren. If the land be good three or 

 four successive crops may be taken ; 

 but the two first are the finest. 

 After the leaves are gathered they 

 are submitted to the action of mills, 

 similar to those employed in grind- 

 ing oak bark ; and in which they 

 are reduced to a kind of pulp. 

 The woad is then laid in small 

 heaps, which are closely and 

 smoothly pressed down. As often 

 as the crust formed on the outside 

 cracks or breaks it is again closed, 

 in order to preserve the colouring 

 matter. In this state it remains 

 for a fortnight ; at the expiration 

 of which the heaps are broken up ; 

 the external part is worked into a 

 mass, and the whole is formed into 

 oval balls, either by the hand or 

 by the means of moulds. The 

 balls are now exposed to the sun 

 under shelter; when perfectly dry 

 they are ready for sale. Such is 

 the process which woad undergoes 

 before it becomes fit for dying blue 

 colours. But Mr. Astrue is of 

 opinion, that if this vegetable were 

 cured in the same manner as indi- 

 go, it would produce a colour of 



equal lustre to that obtained from 

 such an expensive drug. Dam- 

 bourney directs to boil the fresh 

 leaves of woad with diluted bul- 

 lock's blood, or more effectually 

 with caustic soap-boiler's ley ; in 

 this simple manner, a dark gr(;en 

 decoction of a bluish shade will 

 be obtained ; and after clarifying 

 the liquor, it will forni a blue pre- 

 cipitate ; which dissolved in oil of 

 vitriol, and properly diluted, im- 

 parts a beautiful colour to woollen 

 cloth. Farther, even the leaves, 

 in a state of fermentation, with 

 pure water on adding a small por- 

 tion of caustic alkaline ley, afford 

 a fine blue sediment, resembling 

 the true indigo. 



[This useful article abounds in 

 the Western States, and also in 

 Pennsylvania, according to the re- 

 port of an experienced native of 

 Great Britain, who is settled near 

 the head of Ohio, in Washington 

 county, Pennsylvania. It appears 

 that the farina is much richer than 

 that in England ; and that instead 

 of two crops, which are obtained 

 in England, five are yielded in the 



United States.] Massachusetts 



Agrictdtural Repository, Vol. Ill, 

 p." 136—139. See likewise the 

 same work. Vol. IV. p. 289 — 298. 



WOLF, a wild beast of the dog 

 kind. 



This animal is very fierce, equal 

 in size to a large mastiff, and has 

 much the same appearance. 



Wolves are gregarious, go in 

 droves, and surprize the nightly 

 traveller with their hideous yelling. 

 No beast of prey in this country is 

 more formidable \ they sometimes 

 attack men. 



