4 THE YELLOW DYE STUFFS OF CHINA AND INDIA. 



objection becomes an advantage ; and the rich full colour possesses a degree 

 of solidity superior to that obtained from a mixture of woad and annotto. 

 Alkalis redden the tint. Acids bleach. The bichromate of potash instantly 

 reddens the solution, as well as dyed silk, giving them a light mahogany 

 tint." 



The Board of Trade submitted this substance for examination to Mr. 



John Mercer, an account of the result being contained in the first report 



of the Department of Science and Art. This gentleman states that the 



pure yellow colouring matter greatly resembles that of the Persian berries. 



The Hoai-hoa or Wai-fa has not yet been imported into Britain for 



commercial purposes. A specimen, received from Dr. Martius, may 



be found in the museum of the Pharmaceutical Society, Bloomsbury- 



square ; and, we doubt not, it would prove advantageous for a small quantity 



to be obtained from China as an experiment. 



Hoang-tchi. — This dye stuff consists of the fruits of a species of 



Gardenia — most probably Gardenia granrtiflora, Lour., 



and is, with the next article, extensively used as a dye 



stuff in China. These, or similar fruits of the Gardenia* 



were shown in the Great Exhibition of 1851, and 



they have since been imported into Germany and 



Holland under the name of " wongshy." During the 



past year a quantity arrived in London under the 



name of Gardine ; but, hitherto, they have not met 



with a purchaser. The capsules are from one and a half 



to two inches long, and half an inch broad, oblong 



ovate, furnished with the dried six-lobed calyx 



hoang-tchi (nat. size), at one end, and tapering to a point at the 



other. The surface has from six to eight longitudinal ribs. The 



shell is hard and brittle, with an odour like honey and saffron. 



The interior appears suffused with a yellow colouring matter. 



Externally they are of a red-brown colour. They yield to water a yellow 



colour, to alcohol a fiery reddish yellow, and to ether a brownish yellow 



colour. The extract dyes wool of a beautiful orange, without mordant. 



Silk, without mordant, becomes of a fiery yellow like gold. Cotton is best 



dyed in it with the tin mordant. The colours resist the influence of soap. 



Professor Stein states that, by previously using lime water as a mordant, 



and soaking in the boiling liquid, a beautiful yellow colour is obtained. 



By the addition of potashes the colour may be modified. Acid baths change 



these colours to Aurora red. This yellow dye is highly valued in China. 



the brilliancy and fastness of it being greatly extolled at Canton and Ningpo. 



It is affirmed to be employed at Pekin for the yellow dresses of the Emperor 



and his family. To grass cloths and cotton, which are to be dyed scarlet, 



&c, with samower, it increases the intensity and fastness of the colour. 



This scarlet, which is tolerably fast when exposed to the air and the sun, is 



said to equal that of cochineal, and to be obtained without mordant. 



Bancroft was surprised to find that it resisted the most powerful acid much 



