.S6 INDIGO. 



plants. This small, leguminous shnib is indigenous to 

 India, but is now grown in man\' countries within the 

 tropics and even in a few localities near Naples. It 

 bears imparipinnate leaves and white or pink flowers. 

 The prett^' Indigofcra Dostia, a closely related plant 

 from the Hiniala\as, is to be seen in our gardens. In 

 autumn the whole bush is covered with a profusion of 

 drooping pink flower clusters. The favourite blue dye 

 known as Indigo is not present as siich in Indigofera or 

 an-\' other plant. But when the plant is cut and the air 

 admitted to the apparently colourless tissues the exposed 

 surface at once turns blue. The technical process is as 

 follows : the plant is cut up and allowed to ferment in 

 water. The liquid turns a deep ^-ellowish green and is 

 poured off. It is then stirred and beaten so that it may 

 be thoroughh' impregnated with the Oxygen of the air. 

 In this manner the Indigo is precipitated as an insoluble 

 powder. This forms the purest and most valuable vege- 

 table d\'e, and was known to the ancients and prized by 

 them as Indicum. Bagdad was formerly, as London is 

 now, the chief market for this dye. 



The familiar outline of the Conifers is prominent 

 among the strange, exotic vegetation of La Mortola 

 Gardens. Even the most southern species arc easily 

 recognised as are also the fantastic Araucarias, which are 

 so often grown in our gardens. 



We frecjuentlv see C\'cads in our northern green- 

 houses, but here many of them grow in the open. The 

 uninitiated will be surprised to learn that the C^xads 

 are classed next to the Conifers. For the Cycad, with 



