DYE-STUFFS USED IN ITALY. 2C9 



The bark of the chesnut tree (Castanea vesca), which is used, in Pied- 

 mont, and especially at Biella, is highly esteemed for the preparation of 

 skins, though it imparts a dark colour to them ; hut this is, of course, 

 an advantage when black is the colour desired. 



The Birch (Betula alba) grows abundantly in the Valtellina, and in 

 the valleys of Aosta and Susa, but it is only used to prepare oxhides and 

 cowhides in the same manner as Russia leather. 



The Norway spruce (a very excellent dye), gives to the sheep skins 

 of Savoy and the valley of Aosta, which are sold profitably under the 

 name of Savoy sheep skins, a fine light chamois colour closely resem- 

 bling hazel. 



The bark of the larch (Larix europcea, Dec), as well as that of the 

 fir, is frequently used in the small tanneries of the Alps, beyond Susa, 

 where the value of it is estimated at from 5s. 5d. to 5s. lOd, per 100 

 kilos., and with this they prepare sheepskins, which, however, are not 

 highly thought of in the market of Turin ; and before they are made 

 into morocco, it is the custom to pass them through a bath containing 

 oak-bark and sumach. 



Gall-nuts are excrescences which are produced on the leaves, on the 

 fruit, or on the bark of various plants, and especially on the leaves of 

 the different species of oak. They are much used in Piedmont for the 

 preparation of strong leather, but the hardness and greenish colour 

 which they impart to it lowers their price at Turin. Quantities of gall- 

 nuts are collected at Mondovi, at Cuneo, Borgo Maneco, in Piedmont, 

 Ascoli, in the Marches, in the Tuscan Maremmas, Calabria, &c. 



The valonias (vallonea, gallonea) are the cups of oak acorns {Quercus 

 JEgilops.) Those with the finest scales, which almost entirely cover 

 the acorn, are the most esteemed by our tanners, who call them " valoni 

 sticks" (valloneacamata.) Trieste and Leghorn are the most abundant 

 markets for this produce, which is brought to Italy from the Levant, 

 and particularly from Turkey, Greece, and the Ionian isles. Sicily also 

 produces it, but in very limited quantity. In Lombardy and the 

 Romagna, valonia is almost exclusively used by the tanners ; they mix it 

 in Piedmont with oak bark. 



The Scilla maritima, which grows naturally on the shores of the 

 Mediterranean, is a plant which the Algerian tanners have utilised. 



I have made some attempts to utilise the residue of the tanneries 

 in paper making. 



Knoppern, or Plungary gall, is an excrescence growing on the aeorn, 

 and common oak, Quercus Hayern, and purbescens. 



Some application of the dividivi, or fruit of the Ccesalpinia coriaria, 

 have been made in the Piedmontese tan-yards, and especially at Biella, 

 Borgomanero, and Turin. 



Some attempts have been made in England on Catechu, extracted 

 from the Areca Catechu, and the leaves of Nauclea Ganibir. This sub- 

 stance is but little known, and being always charged with rather heavy 



vol. in. s 



