EXTRACTION OP INDIGO FROM WOAD. 313 



The cutting of the leaves, which must be repeated five 

 or six times, amounts during a season to about fifty francs. 



The expenses attendant upon the manufacturing pro- 

 cesses cannot be estimated at less than two francs per 

 pound of indigo ; this will make fifty-six francs. 



The seed necessary for sowing an acre costs about 

 twelve francs, but by leaving the roots in the ground to pro- 

 duce seed, this may be reduced to six francs. 



Thus, from the gross product, in indigo, of two hun- 

 dred and fifty-two francs, there must be deducted 



francs. 



for weeding 25 



" cutting 50 



" expense of manufacturing. 56 



*' seed 6 



137 



Deductmg this from 252 francs, there will remain a net 

 product of 115 francs, (equal to between $21 and $23.) 



The expenses attendant upon cultivating and harvesting 

 wheat are not so great as those for woad ; for, stating the 

 price of seed at ^ of the value of the product, and the 

 weeding, reaping, gathering in, and threshing, at ^, the 

 whole expense would be but sixty-three francs, and this 

 reduces the net value of the product to one hundred and 

 sixty-three francs ; the balance would thus be in favor of 

 the cultivation of wheat. 



It must, however, be remembered, that I stated the value 

 of the product in indigo at the lowest. M. de Puymaurin 

 has obtained five ounces, and that of a good quality, from 

 1 cwt. of leaves ; at this rate an acre of land would yield 

 forty-seven pounds of indigo, instead of twenty-eight ; and 

 this sold in commerce even at the low price of six francs, 

 would produce two hundred and eighty-two, instead of 

 two hundred and fifty-two francs. An additional profit like- 

 wise arises from the cakes into which the leaves are formed 

 after having been nearly exhausted of their indigo ; these 

 may be sold with advantage to the dyers, or if there be no 

 demand of this kind for them, they form a better and more 

 abundant manure than that which is yielded by the dried 

 stalks and leaves of wheat. 



I may likewise add, that in those establishments which 

 are in the vicinity of dye-houses, the indigo paste, which 

 27 



