61 



)y soaking the plant in large masses in tanks. After its CASE 

 emoval, the water is stirred and beaten with paddles, 32. 

 ts colour passes to a blue, and the suspended particles 

 ettle to the bottom forming a blue mud, which after 

 he water is drawn off, is dried in the sun and cut into 

 ubes. Of this dye-stuff 8,201 cwts. of the value of 

 U1G,902 were imported in 1905, whilst artificially pre- 

 >ared indigo to the extent of 32,246 cwts. of the value 

 if £121,269 were imported during the same period. 

 Specimens are exhibited from Egypt, Nicaragua, Siam, 

 he East and West Indies, also a series of photographs 

 llustrating the industry in India and a model of an Indigo 

 factory placed near the entrance door to this museum. 

 ?he '* blue " of the laundress is prepared from Indigo. 

 Specimens are shown. A colouring matter similar to 

 rue indigo is furnished by several other plants as 

 Polygonum tinctormm, Lour, {see Case 93), Loncliocarpus 

 yanescenSj Benth., Wrightia tinctoria, R. Br. {see Case 

 7), Strohilayithes Jiaccidifoiius^ Nees, and Isatis indigo- 

 ica, Fort. Owing to the competition of synthetic indigo 

 he area under cultivation in India is stated to have been 

 educed 66 per cent, during the last ten years. 



On an upper shelf of the next division of this case are 

 vood, seeds, &c., of the Umzibiti tree of South Africa 

 Millettia caffra^ Meissn.). 



Note also wood of the LOCUST or False Aoacia 

 Rohmia Pseud-acacia, L.), a North American tree. Used 

 or posts, treenails, ribs of vessels, turnery, &c. This 

 vood is very durable in contact with the ground. 



No. 182. KOLILA Kat. Mat made of stems of 

 Keshan i a paludosa, Prain. Sold in Calcutta. Samples of 

 he fibre and rope made of the same are also exhibited, 

 ogether with wood and fibre of an allied species, Seshania 

 legyiJiiaca, Poir. 



Observe pods of CAFE DE BRUSCA, or Chilinchile 

 Seshania occidentalis, Poir.), from Magdalena. 



No. 183. Afghan Knife enclosed in a sheath 

 30und with bands of the bark of Garagana decorticans, 

 Eemsl. It is used for this and similar purposes on 

 iccount of its bronze-like appearance. 



