WEL 



WEL 



beginning to turn of a light or yellow- 

 ish colour ; as in the beginning or 

 middle of July in the second year. 

 The plants ai-e usually from one to 

 two and a half feet in height. It is 

 tliought 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 re- 

 ception of a crop of wheat or turnips ; 

 but in this case a small part must be 

 left solely for tlie purpose of seed. 

 In the execution of the work, the 

 plants are drawn up by the roots in 

 small handfuls, and set up to dry after 

 each handful has been tied up by one 

 of the stalks, in the number of four 

 togetiier in an erect position against 

 each other. Sometimes, however, 

 they become sufficiently dry by turn- 

 ing without being set up. After they 

 have remained till fully dry, which 

 is mostly effected in the course of 

 a week or two, they are bound up 

 into larger bundles that contain each 

 60 handfuls, and wiiieh are of the 

 weight of 56 lbs. each, 60 of these 

 bundles constituting a load. These 

 last, in places where this kind of crop 

 is much grown, are tied up by a string 

 made for the purpose, and sold under 

 the title of weld cord. 



"The produce of weld depends much 

 on the nature of the season ; but from 

 half a load to a load and a half is the 

 quantity most commonly afforded. It 

 is mostly bought by persons who af- 

 terward dispose of it to the dyers oc- 

 casionally as they find it convenient. 

 The demand tor it is sometimes very 

 little, while at otliers it is so great as 

 to raise the price to a high degree. 

 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 dyeing is for 

 giving a yellow colour to cotton, 

 woollen, mohair, silk, and linen. Blue 

 cloths are dipped in a decoctitm of it, 

 which renders them green ; and the 

 yellow colour of the paint called Dutch 

 pink is obtained from weld. It yields 

 a brownish yellow decoction, the col- 



our of which is rendered paler by 

 acids, and richer and deeper by alka- 

 lies. Alum tiirovvs down a yellow 

 precipitate, and leaves the clear liquor 

 of a fine lemon yellow ; tartar also 

 brightens its colour ; and solutioa 

 of tin gives it a dilute green tint. 

 When a mixture of whiting and alum 

 is added to a hot decoction of weld, a 

 yellow precipitate is obtained, which, 

 when collected, washed, and dried, is 

 of a fine delicate colour, and much 

 employed l)y |)a[)er-stainers. 



" To save seed, select a few of the 

 largest and healthiest plants, and 

 leave them to ripen. The seed is 

 easily separated. 



" The chief disease of weld is the 

 mildew, to which it is very liable 

 when young, and this is one reason 

 that it is often sown with other crops." 



W ELDING. The union of two 

 pieces of metal at a white heat by 

 hammering; iron, steel, and platinum 

 are the only metals susceptible of 

 welding. The surfaces are cleaned 

 by borax in welding steel. 



W E L L. " Before proceeding to 

 dig a well, it ouglit first to be deter- 

 mined on whether a mere reservoir 

 for the water which oozes out of the 

 surface soil is desired or obtainable, 

 or a perpetual spring. If the former 

 is the object in view, a depth of fifteen 

 or twenty feet may probably suffice, 

 though tills cannot be expected to 

 afford a constant supply unless a 

 watery vein or spring is hit on : if 

 the latter, the depth may be various, 

 there being instances of 300 and 500 

 feet having been cut through before 

 a permanent supply of water was 

 found. 



" Tlie art of well-digging is gener- 

 ally carried on by persons who de- 

 vote themselves exclusively to that 

 department. The site being fixed on, 

 the ground-plan is a circle, generally 

 of not more than six or eight feet in 

 diameter : the digger then works 

 down by means of a small short-han- 

 dled spade, and a small implement of 

 the pickaxe kind, the earthy mate- 

 rials being drawn up in buckets by 

 the hand or a windlass fixed over 

 , the opening for the purpose. Where 



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