26 MR. E. R. WATSON ON 



by the chemists and dyers of Europe : the opinion, which is wide-spread in this coun- 

 try, that many of the Indian indigenous dyes are not known in Europe, appears to be 

 without foundation). The following remarks by G. von Georgievics are worthy of 

 note : — " The artificial dye-stuffs first produced were much handsomer and brighter, 

 but not so fast as the majority of the natural dyes, and, by a somewhat hasty gene- 

 ralisation, artificial dyes were at first regarded as handsome but fugitive — a prejudice 



which, for a long time, acted adversely on the artificial dyes At the present 



time we have artificial dyes, some of which are just as fast, and others even more so, 

 than those of natural origin." (Chemistry of Dye-stuffs, 1903). 



From these remarks on a general comparison of the natural and artificial dye- 

 stuffs it would probably be concluded that the natural dye-stuffs are, as a whole, 

 fairly fast ; but this conclusion is at variance with the remarks on particular natural 

 dye-stuffs which can be found in various books on dyes and dyeing. I will here quote 

 a few opinions on the more important indigenous dye-stuffs of Bengal. 



According to N. N. Banerjee (loc. cit.) the more important dye-stuffs of Bengal 

 are : — Indigo (Indigo/era tinctoria), turmeric (Curcuma longa), lac, kusum or safflower 

 (Carthamus tinctorius), bakam (Ccesalpinia sappan), singhar (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) , 

 kamala (Mallotus philippinensis), palas (Butea frondosa) , atkan (Bixa orellana) and 

 al (Morinda tinctoria). Other dye-stuffs mentioned in this monograph are manjista 

 (Rubia cordi folia), mehndi (Lawsonia alba), gab (Diospyros embryopteris) , kanthal or 

 jak (Artocarpus integrifolia) , and toon (Cedrela toona). Catechu orkath (Acacia catechu) 

 is mentioned as an auxiliary used in dyeing. This list is in substantial conformity 

 with the list given in " Report on the Dyes and Tans of Bengal, H. W. McCann, 

 1883." 



'Banerjee makes the following remarks as to the fastness of these dyes : — 



Indigo . . . . No remark. 



Turmeric . . . . Yields a colour of a fleeting character only. 



L,ac . . . . Describes a method to produce a permanent red colour 



(p. 20). 



Kusum . . . . No remark. 



Bakam . . . . Describes a method to produce a pucka (fast) red 



colour (p. 23). 



Singhar . . . . Orange colour, which is very fleeting (p. 18). 



Kamala . . . . No remark. 



Palas . . . . The colour produced is a fugitive yellow inclined to 



red (p. 24). 



L,atkan . . . . Describes a method to produce a fast colour (p. 24). 



Al . . . . Produces a fast red colour. 



Manjista . . . . No remark. 



Mehndi . . . . Ditto. 



Gab . . . . Ditto. 



Kanthal . . . . Ditto. 



Toon . . . . The colour obtained is fugitive. 



