INDIGO. 315 



length ; the root has a faint smell somewhat resem- 

 bling parsley. From this root issues a short bushy 

 stem of nearly the same thickness ; this stem rises 

 about two feet from the ground ; it is hard and almost 

 entirely ligneous, and without any appearance of 

 pith in the inside. The leaves are winged, or 

 consist of small leaves ranged in two or three pairs 

 on each side of a long foot-stalk, which is surmounted 

 by an odd leaf ; they are of an oval form, smooth 

 and soft to the touch, furrowed above, and of a 

 darker colour on the upper than the under side. 

 From about one-third of the stem to the extremity, 

 there are ears that are loaded with very small flowers 

 from twelve to fifteen in number ; these are destitute 

 of smell ; they are succeeded by long crooked brown 

 pods, which contain small yellow seeds. The wild 

 indigo has shorter pods and black seeds. The seeds 

 of the Guatimala are green, and the stalks red. This 

 plant requires a smooth rich soil, well tilled, and neither 

 too dry nor too moist. Indigo is entirely the produc- 

 tion of a warm climate ; it has been observed, that 

 " it is the child of the sun," and cannot be advan- 

 tageously cultivated any where except within the 

 tropics * . A higher temperature than 60 is absolutely 

 necessary both for its vegetation and maceration. 



The seed is sowed in little furrows about the 

 breadth of the hoe, and two or three inches in depth. 

 These furrows are made a foot apart from each other, 

 and in as straight a line as possible. A bushel of seed 

 is sufficient for five acres of land. Though it may 

 be sown in all seasons, spring is mostly preferred for 

 the purpose. Soon after sowing, continual attention 

 is required to pluck the weeds, which would quickly 

 choke up the plant, and impede its growth. Sufficient 

 moisture causes it to shoot above the surface in 

 three or four days, and it is usually fit for gathering 

 * Edwards's West Indies, 



