DYE FROM LYCOPODIUM. ^27 



VII. 



Abstract of a Memoir on the Dyes ohtained from differ ejit 

 Species of Cli!br,?oss, Lycopodiuni, Translated from the Sioe- 

 dishofV>\\ J, F. Westking, of Nordkoeping, Pl.ysician 

 to the Ki}?g of S-weden, bi/ Eugene Coqueeekt.* 



A HE numerous experiments Dr. Westring has made on the 

 colouring properties of Hchens, and the interesting discoveries 

 that have resulted from his inquiries, are well known. At- 

 tempting to fix one of these dyes of a very fugitive nature, he 

 bethought himself of employing as a mordant the species of Lycopodium 

 moss known to botanists by the name of li/copodium complana- ^'^'"^ ''"^ ""'* 

 turn ;t he did not attain the object he had in view, but a 

 result which he did not expect: for he discovered, that a very gives a fine blue 

 fiiie blue, considerably permanent, might be struck on wool or s-iir°vith"the 

 silk, by boiling it first with this species of lycopodium, and addition of a 

 then steeping it in a slight infusion of brasil. ^'"^^ '"^^^''' 



The wjol treated in this manner was at least of as fine a Equal to woad, 

 blue as if it had been dyed with woad, or in what dyer? com- 

 monly call the vat ; and was so fixed, that on rubbing a piece and fixed, 

 of white linen with it, it did not stain it as many blue cloths 

 do ; that being rinsed in cold water, it did not impart to it the 

 slightest blue tinge, and that it resisted the action of boiling 

 soapsuds. 



The only inconvenience of this dye is its being injured by all Acids spot it, 



acids, even common vinegar, which redden it more or less : 



but it is easy to remove the spots thus produced by means of a but the spot? re- 

 ,,,,.,.,.,, , , - . moved by alka- 



weak alkan, which wnl restore the colour, and occasion no jj 



change itself. 



The following manner of employing the lycopodium com- 

 planatum Dr. Westring has found to be the most simple and 

 convenient : 



Take a quantity of this moss, dried and chopped,- nearly dou- Mtthod of 

 ble the weight of the cloth to be died. Put them into a pro- "* 

 per vessel, a stratum of the moss between every fold of the 



* Bulletin des Sciences, August, 1805, p. 2'H , 



t The country people in Sweden sometimes use a species of ly. 

 copodium as a mordant. T. 



G g 2 cloth. 



