398 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



cian islands. The correct old traveller, Tournefort, 

 describes the simple process as he saw it performed 

 at Samos. " To dye yellow they throw into boiling 

 water the extremities of the broom : after several 

 boilings they add a little alum to the decoction ; 

 then they plunge into it linen, woollen cloth, leather, 

 or whatever they wish to dye, and removing the 

 cauldron from the fire, leave the material to soak all 

 night. The yellow imparted is tolerably fine, and 

 no doubt more skilful operators might make a more 

 perfect colour of it. This Grecian plant differs from 

 that which grows on the coast of Provence only in 

 having its leaves narrower and longer*." 



It is a native of Britain, growing abundantly on 

 dry and hilly grounds. The height to which it 

 , attains is about three feet ; its shrubby stalks are 

 terminated by several spikes of yellow flowers suc- 

 ceeded by pods; the leaves are spear-shaped, and 

 placed alternately on the branches. The colour 

 produced by a decoction of these branches cannot be 

 compared in beauty with that of weld or saw-wort, 

 but it acquires sufficient permanency by means of 

 mordants. It is sometimes used for inferior woollen 

 goods, in combination with alum or tartar, and sul- 

 phate of lime. 



Though yellow colouring matter is profusely 

 scattered through the vegetable world, there are 

 scarcely any plants to be found which yield a per- 

 manent yellow without the aid of certain intermedia 

 to unite it to the stuff to be acted upon. Dr. Ban- 

 croft has remarked, that no substantive vegetable 

 yellow has been ever extensively employed for dye- 

 ing in Europe, though there are accounts of plants 

 growing in distant countries which seem capable 

 of affording such yellows with advantage. None 

 of these, however, have been introduced into our dye- 

 * Voyage du Levant, torn, H. 



