AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES. 177 



the newly-discovered graves of the Pharaohs at Thebes, on the 

 breast of Ahmes II., the conqueror of Hycsos. 



From these three countries its cultivation spread over many 

 others, both tropical and temperate climates, even to Germany ; 

 but in this century it has declined almost everywhere, and in many 

 parts has vanished altogether. The safflower has been supplanted 

 by cochineal and lac-dye especially, and recently, to a much 

 greater extent, by the aniline dyes. 



Japan received it from China. But Southern China and India 

 began to put on the market, and at low prices, a better article 

 than that produced at home, and since then the plant has been 

 cultivated less and less, until now it is hardly worth mentioning. 

 In all my journeyings in Japan in every direction, I only met 

 with it two or three times. It grew in small beds. The object 

 of raising it was to obtain Beni, the favourite cosmetic of the 

 Japanese girls. This is pure Carthamin (C14 Hig O7), and a com- 

 parison of its mode of preparation with our method may be made 

 from my remarks at the end of this chapter, on dyeing with saf- 

 flower. It has a metallic, gold-green lustre, reminding one of 

 certain aniline dyes and the sheath-wings of several species of 

 Cetonia and other beetles. The Japanese girls dissolve it in water 

 for reddening their lips. In Kioto they often put it on so strong 

 and concentrated that the green metallic lustre appears instead of 

 the red colour. 



3. Riibia cordifoliay L. (/^. cordata, Thunb., R. viimjista, Roxb.), 

 Jap. Akane or Beni-kadzura. This is the old Indian madder, which 

 seems to be widely distributed in the eastern monsoon-region, as 

 well as in the Himalayan valleys. I have found it repeatedly in 

 Japan, and always wild, like the following species. 



4. Riibia cJiinensis^ Reg-> J^P- 0-kinuta-s6. 



5. Lithospennum erytJirorhizon, S. and Z. {L. officinale^ var. ja- 

 ponica, Miq., L. officinale /3 erythrorhizon, Maxim.), Jap. Murasaki 

 and Murasaki-kusa. The roots, called Shikon, of this stone-crop, 

 w^hich grows all over Japan, used to serve for violet and red pig- 

 ments, as in China. 



6. Myrica rubra^ S. and Z., Jap. Yama-momo. Its bark, which is 

 called Shibuki, contains an astringent pigment, which is used to 

 colour and make durable fish-hooks and nets. 



7. Perilla arguta, Benth., Jap. Aka-shiso. We have already 

 noticed the application of the red pigment of this plant in house- 

 keeping. 



8. CcBsalpinia Sappan^ L., Jap. Suwo. Sapan-wood is not found 

 in Japan, but was formerly largely imported by Chinese as a red dye. 



Cochineal, lac-dye, fuchsine, and similar dyes have diminished 

 the value and use of the above-mentioned red pigments in Japan. 

 In like manner auramin and flavaniline, with their excellent 

 qualities and cheap prices, have begun to supplant the remaining 

 yellow pigments. 



II. N 



