[57 ] 



tion convinced me, that the Indians muft certainly 

 have fome niethod or other to extract the bright 

 and lading colour, which I could not perform. 

 They ufe perhaps the root quite frefh, which circum- 

 ftance probably makes them fucceed in their dying 

 procefs. If it could be brought about, to extract 

 and afterwards to fix on wool the dye of this root, 

 it would, no doubt, on account of its bright colour, 

 be a valuable acquifition for our manufactures : and 

 I: do not in the leaft doubt of the probability to fuc- 

 ceed in the attempt, as the wollen fluffs are ani- 

 mal fubftances as well as the porcupine quills, and. 

 therefore eafily fufceptible of any dye. 



The directors of the Hudfon's-bay Company will, 

 we hope,, order, their fervants at. the fettlements to 

 examine carefully and minutely, the method em- 

 ployed by the Indians in dying red with, this root* 

 and to fend an account thereof, and greater quan- 

 tities of this root over, that feveral chemifls may. 

 be enabled to make experiments at large with them $,„ 

 for often, in dying, the experiments will not fucceed^ 

 when tried in fmall quantities. 



The wild inhabitants- of North America are cer-- 

 tainly poiTeffed of many important arts 3 which, 

 when thoroughly known,, would enable the Euro- 

 peans to make a. better, and. more extenfrve ufe 

 of many unnoticed plants, and productions of this 

 vaft continent, both in> phyfic,, and in improv- 

 ing; our manufactures,, and. erecting new. branches' 

 of commerce, 



To give an infUnee of this, I will only mention^, 

 that the. Spaniards of Mexico have, but ..lately .learnt: 

 ©f the inhabitants ef. California, , the art, of dying 



Vol, LXlh. h tbfc 



