Weeding, Cutting, Carting, Manufacturing. 61 



stale, or half-putrid water, used for steeping the 

 plant, as the indigo which will not settle on the table 

 is invariably of a most offensive odour, and almost 

 always acts in this way when bad water has unavoid- 

 ably to be used. 



The cure, and the only cure, for it, I believe, 

 known, is to press the indigo with gunny-cloth, 

 instead of the usual canvas-like pressing cloth gene- 

 rally used. I have tried this, and found it answer 

 perfectly ; the coarse texture of the gunny-cloth 

 (seed-bags, opened out and well washed, will do) 

 allows the water to escape freely, while completely 

 retaining the indigo grain and the method has only 

 to be tried by those in difficulty with bad, unsettling 

 mdlj to be appreciated. The only piece of pressing 

 cloth necessary in the operation is a small square 

 piece at each corner, laid neatly inside the gunny- 

 cloth ; the top ends and sides are then neatly folded 

 over in the press-box, the cover placed, and a gentle 

 pressure put on, when the water (perhaps slightly 

 discoloured) flows freely off, gradually causing the 

 indigo to 'consolidate and admit of firmer pressure 

 being put on till the indigo slab is as hard as may 

 be. I have pressed indigo in this way with common 

 seed-bags (free from rents and holes) which would 

 not settle on the table, and was slushy as pea-soup, 

 and made cakes of it equal to the rest firm, 



