become an independent nation, to be thus dependent on others, for articles, which, 

 perhaps, may abound in our own country? Or shall we, without enquiry conclude that 

 nature has denied us these articles; being partial in the distribution of her favours? . . . 



If our government should consider it worthy of their attention, to encourage some able 

 chemist to explore the qualities of our fossils, woods, barks, shrubs, plants, roots, weeds 

 and minerals, perhaps, the advantages, our rising nation might derive, would soon 

 indemnify us for the extra expense (1798, p. 137-139). 



The following list of dye prices from an 1831 dye manual shows the 

 price relationship of the six principal dyestuffs; the list also indicates 

 that cochineal maintained its luxury price long after the wars with Britain: 



quercitron, per lb. $ . 06 



fustic " " .06 



logwood " " .06 



madder " " .18^^ 



indigo " " 2.25 



cochineal per oz. .31 a 37}^ (Lynde, p. 8). 



Lack of funds for luxury dyes like cochineal, plus distance to cities where 

 such items were obtainable, forced many rural inhabitants to explore 

 their surroimdings for dyes for the wool and linen yarns of their own 

 manufacture. 



Unfortunately the full extent of home dyeing and its importance in the 

 overall view of colonial American textile manufacture may never be 

 assessed accurately because written records on the subject are scanty. 

 One exception is an excerpt from An examination of Lord Sheffield's observations 

 on the commerce of the United States, on the state of American dyeing, pub- 

 lished in 1791: 



The implements hitherto used in household manufactures, have been of the most ancient 

 kinds. The art of dyeing has been advanced in families little further than what was 

 communicated by a recipe as brief as those in a book of culinary instructions ; the colour- 

 ing ingredients have generally been such as nature handed to the thrifty housewife. 

 The operations, from the raw to the manufactured state, have often been the simplest 

 that can be conceived. Under circumstances like these, it will not be too sanguine to 

 expect the dissemination of useful instruction in the practice of dyeing, in the nature of 

 colours, and concerning other parts of the business . . . ([Coxe], 1791, p. 120). 



The sense of nationalism and desire for self-sufficiency on a national 

 scale boosted American manufactures after the Revolution. Unfortunately 

 the voices of influential individuals, such as Thomas Jefferson and Dolley 

 Madison, raised in favor of home-grown dyestuffs, could not persuade 

 farmers to raise madder, indigo, woad, or weld crops on a commercial 

 scale. During this same period, however, the dyer's profession here advanced 

 with sound chemical practice, gradually replacing former trial-and-error 

 methods. 



We must depend mainly on personal papers, regional and family tradi- 

 tions, and books of miscellaneous household recipes for home dyeing infor- 



8 



