SEWING SILK AND TWIST. 101 



DARK BLUE. 



i4 Powder very finely, and sift one and a half ounces 

 of indigo, and put three-quarters of a pound of oil of 

 vitriol in a stone jar ; add the pulverized indigo to it, 

 stirthe whole well with an earthern pipe stem, or some 

 similar earthern article, and continue the stirring until 

 the oil of vitriol ceases to ferment ; the mixture hav- 

 ing become quiet, set it by for the space of twenty- 

 four hours ; at tho expiration of this time, a little wa- 

 ter must be added, and the whole mutter stirred again, 

 by which it will receive, as it were, new life and vig- 

 or ; after which, it must be set away undisturbed, un- 

 til it is to be applied to the dyeing of the silk. After 

 this, prepare a kettle with eight buckets of water, put 

 into it one and a quarter pounds of alum, and dissolve 

 it completely therein. This being done, pour the so- 

 lution into a pail, stoop the silk in the solution, and 

 work it well therein for an hour ; after which, take it 

 out, wring it, and lay it by, in its wet state, for further 

 use. 



"This being done, put eight buckets of water in a 

 kettle, pour the solution of indigo into it, and mix it 

 well by stirring : work the silk well in this blue liquor 

 for the space of half an hour, then take it out, rinse it 

 in running water, wring it, and lay it by, in its wet 

 state, for further use. By this process, the silk will 

 receive a handsome light blue color. 



" To deepen this blue, or to change it to a dark blue, 

 proceed in the following manner: Take a kettle 

 with sixteen buckets of water, and* bring it to a boil- 

 ing state ; then put into it four pounds of logwood, 

 and boil it well for about three-quarters of an hour; 

 then take out one half of the liquor, and run it through 

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