MADDER OF SUPERIOR QUALITY. 15^ 



DEAR SIR, 



In answer to your farther inquiries respecting theoaadder Management 

 procured from the Smyrna seed, I beg leave to observe, " e ee . ^ 

 that, with regard to the management of the seed, I found it 

 to succeed extremely well in drills in the open ground. I 

 also tried some in a hot-bed, which also succeeded perfectly 

 well ; but the old seed, some of which I had from you this 

 spring, will not grow, t consider it to be a variety of the 

 common rubia tinctorum, but of a more robust growth, and 

 superior in colouring matter. These plants thrive exceed- 

 ingly in my new botanic garden in Sloane street, and I 

 flatter myself, that I have been instrumental in introducing 

 an article, which gives to cotton the most beautiful and per- 

 manent red colour in existence. 



Many former attempts to cultivate madder in England Use of the root 

 have failed, I understand, on account of the calico-printers >"/:ahco 

 formerly requiring it in a powdery state; but since the 

 establishment in this kingdom of the Adrianople or Turkey 

 red dye upon cotton, some thousand tuns in weight of mad- 

 der roots from the Levant are annually used in Great Biitaiu 

 for dyeing that colour, for which use this kind of madder 

 in the fresh root will be found superior. 



I am informed, that, by the application of the Society of ^^^^5^ ro^^ 

 Arts, &c., to Government, madder roots grown in England tithe free, 

 are exempted from tithes. 



I have every reason to believe, that for use in painting Their use far 

 much finer colours than the present may be obtained from Pgcaents. 

 the root of this plant by spirituous or acetous extracts; but 

 I forbear at present farther experiments, in order to increase 

 as much as possible my remaining stock of plants; and this qm seed wil! 

 appears necessary, as I find the seed I had left will not ve- not regetate. 

 getate this spring, and I apprehend, that such seed as may 

 now remain in the Society's possession' will be useless. 



I shall therefore proceed to increase my present stock of 



the plants from offsets and cuttings of the roots. If the above 



account is found deserving of the society's attention, it is 



much at their service, and they shall be welcome to Some of 



the roots, when I have farther propagated them. They bios- The plants 



somed abundantly, but did aot produce seed, a circumstance blossomed, but. 

 •" * , . , did not seed, 



nhich 



