242 YELLOW-DYE WOODS. 



deeper shade to the simple yellow. Being perfectly soluble in 

 spirits of wine, it is much used in this state for lacquering and 

 for giving an orange tint to the yellow varnishes. It is like- 

 wise employed in large quantities as a colouring ingredient 

 for cheese, to which it gives the required tinge without imparting 

 any unpleasant flavour or unwholesome quality. 



The Yagua Indians prepare arnatto in a peculiar manner, 

 producing the finest scarlet dye, which, according to Castelnau, 

 is not inferior to cochenille itself. 



A species of mulberry {Morns tinctoria), spontaneously grow- 

 ing in Brazil and in many of the West India islands, where it 

 attains to a considerable size, provides our dyers with fustic. 

 This wood, which is of a sulphur colour, with orange veins, is 

 imported in large blocks chiefly from Cuba and Jamaica, the 

 former being very superior in quality. It is much employed in 

 combination with indigo to dye what is called Saxon green. 

 Other yellow dye-woods, but inferior to fustic, are imported 

 from Tampico, Tuspan, Zapote, Carthagena, Maracaibo, San 

 Domingo, and the East Indies. 



Turmeric or Indian saffron is a yellow dye, obtained from the 

 roots of Curcuma longa, a plant belonging to the family of the 

 Scitaminece, or spice lilies. It is indigenous in South Asia, 

 Madagascar, and many of the South Sea islands, and is now 

 also cultivated in the West Indies. The roots spread far 

 under the surface of the ground; they are long and succulent, 

 and about half an inch in thickness, having many circular knots, 

 from which arise four or five spear-shaped leaves standing 

 upon long foot-stalks. The yellowish red flowers grow in loose 

 scaly spikes, surmounting the foot-stalks which spring from the 

 larger knots of the roots, and attain to about a foot in height. 

 The roots, which are very hard, externally grey but internally of 

 a deep lively yellow, and not unlike either in figure or size to 

 ginger, must be reduced to powder previously to being employed 

 as a dye. Though turmeric possesses no durability, it is used 

 in considerable quantities for the dyeing of woollen and silk 

 stuffs. With indigo it produces a beautiful green colour, which 

 is frequently employed by confectioners, and it is said that the 

 wily Chinese not seldom make use of this mixture to change 

 their black tea into green. 



