56 ON COLORING. 



of dissolving indigo, or, in other words, forming a blue dye. 



FIRST METHOD. 



Take indigo, well powdered, one ounce; quick lime, one 

 ounce ; potash, two ounces ; copperas, two ounces ; molasses^ 

 half a pint ; warm water, one gallon — mix, and stir occasionally, 

 keeping the vessel, of copper, iron, or earthen, well covered and 

 in a warm place. The liquor will soon become green, covered 

 with a copper colored or blue scum. In twenty four hours it 

 will be fit for use. Immerse the stuff to be colored for a longer 

 or shorter time, according to the shade required. The strength 

 of the color may also be varied by using a greater cr less quan- 

 tity of water. A very little practice will enable any one to give 

 wool, silk, or cotton, properly prepared, with this dye a beautiful 

 and permanent blue, of any shade they may choose. 



SECOND METHOD SAXON BLUE. 



In this method, the indigo is dissolved by the aid of sulphuric 

 acid, without losing its blue color, but it undergoes a change 

 which renders it less permanent, and is therefore not much 

 used, except for articles not very durable, or when a deep, un- 

 fading tint is not considered of much importance. This prepar- 

 ation is kept in the shops, under the name of Liquid Blue, or 

 Chemical Blue, and is much used for blueing white cotton and 

 linen garments, from which it is readily washed out, even in cold 

 water. It is also extensively used in coloring greens, giving, 

 with yellow, a more brilliant color than the blue obtained by the 

 first method. On wool and silk it is much more durable than on 

 cotton, and on articles which do not require frequent washing 

 may be often used advantageously as a blue dye. It is prepar- 

 ed as follows : 



Take indigo, well powdered, one ounce ; sulphuric acid, four 

 ounces — mix it in a glass or stone ware vessel, and let it stand 

 twenty four hours, stirring it occasionally — then add one ounce 

 of dried potash. Let it stand twenty four hours longer, add half 

 a pint of water, and bottle it up for use. 



Mix a wine glass full of this liquid in a pail full of boiling wa- 



