MAXUFACTUKE OF INK. 241 



4 ounces, 13°. It is well to add some powdered gall-nut. The first fer 

 mentation lasts for about 6 weeks ; at the end of this time it is strained and 

 kept in large jars for about 6 months. Fermentation having then ceased 

 the liquor is bottled off. In this way Dr. Teuscher has obtained very satis- 

 factory results. 



MANUFACTURE OF INK. 



In the West Indies common black ink is easily made. In the place 

 of galls, many substances abounding in tannin are used, such as the bark 

 of the guava (Psidium), the Mangrove plant, the sap of the cocoa-nut palm, 

 and plantain, and the seed of the avocado pear (Persea gratissima). The 

 mode of proceeding with all these substances is identical ; I shall, there- 

 fore, give the recipe as made with guava bark. Take of bark £ ounce 

 by weight, water, 8 ounces by measure. Boil to one half, set aside to cool, 

 and filter, then take of sulphate of iron, 1 drachm ; sugar, 1 drachm ; gum 

 arabic, 3 drachms. Dissolve these in a sufficient quantity of water, and 

 add to the former solution, whereupon an ink will be found not inferior 

 in quality to many English-made inks. In the preparation of the plantain 

 fibre, the means adopted for depriving it of its tannin are either fermenta- 

 tion or crushing. Crushing is the best, because it is more economical and 

 profitable. By crushing, the tan liquor can be preserved, and being boiled 

 down with a proper proportion of logwood, and the liquor thus obtained 

 filtered, a very productive article for ink manufacture may be obtained, 

 thus enhancing the value of a plantain walk by 50 or 100 per cent. 



A species of palm indigenous to the Colony, and growing in abundance 

 in Berbice, bears a berry that affords a juice, known locally under the 

 name of " Croatie ink," which is stated by Dr. H. A. Koch to be in every 

 respect superior to any ink now in use. A species of Mimosa, which is 

 found in Chili, called Espino, furnishes black seeds in pods, which make 

 excellent writing ink by steeping in water, bruised and mixed with cop- 

 peras, and exposed to the sun. The same shrub grows abundantly in the 

 Mahrattas (Graham's Chili, appendix, p. 502). In Chili there is also a sort 

 of resinous bean produced by a plant called Alagoroba or Tara, which, 

 when dried, pounded, and infused with copperas, makes a good drying ink. 



Red ink is usually obtained from a strong decoction of Brazil-wood 

 (Ccesalpinia Braziliensis), with as much alum as it can dissolve and a little 

 gum. The alum precipitates the colouring in the form of lake, while the 

 gum holds the so-formed lake in suspension. A very good substitute is 

 found for the Brazil-wood in the colouring matter of the fruit of the prickly 

 pear (Opuntia vulgaris or Cactus opunlia). When ripe, the fruit contains a 

 beautiful carmine colouring matter, which is easily obtained by expression, 

 and which is frequently used by West India cooks as a colouring for various 



