THE INDIGENOUS DYES OP BENGAL. 31 



In following the Nadia process, it was found necessary to addsajimati to the water 

 to obtain the latkan solution. A decoction was used similar to that described in the 

 Murshidabad process. Fifty gms. of babul bark were used to give ioo cc. of babul 

 water. 



Al. — There appears to be some confusion in nomenclature with regard to this 

 substance. It seems that both Morinda tinctoria and M. citri folia are called al or 

 ach or aich and that both are equally effective for dyeing. 



I was unable to obtain this material from the Calcutta bazaars , but was kindly 

 supplied with a sample from the Indian Museum by Mr. Vieux, Assistant Curator, 

 Industrial Section. I have, however, been quite unable to obtain a satisfactory dye- 

 ing with this material by any method. 



According to McCann (loc. cit., pp. 30 — 36), the cloth is generally prepared by 

 steeping for three to four days in a mixture of crushed castor-seed and cow-dung. It 

 is then thoroughly rinsed in soft water and may be dyed by simply boiling in water 

 along with the root or the bark of the root. A repetition of this process gave only the 

 faintest colouration to the cloth. 



According to Napier (loc. cit.) and Rupe {loc. cit.) this material gives a full and 

 fast dyeing on cloth mordanted for Turkey-red. A sample of cloth mordanted in 

 this way was scarcely coloured even after boiling for two hours with its own weight 

 of the root or with its own weight of the bark of the root. 



Manjista. — According to McCann (loc. cit., p. 48) the decoction obtained by boiling 

 the stems in water may alone be used for dyeing (Darjeeling) or the cloth may be first 

 mordanted by tannin or by steeping successively in alkaline solution and in alum 

 (Midnapur). No discrimination is made as to the material dyed by these different 

 methods. 



Samples were prepared by the following processes : — 



(1) By working the plain cloth in the aqueous decoction for 30 minutes in the cold 

 only a very light shade was obtained ; 



(2) by previously mordanting the cloth in a tannin solution (3 per cent.) and 

 afterwards working in manjista decoction as in (1), only a light pink shade was obtained ; 



(3) by previously mordanting the cloth with aluminium acetate, 1 steeping 

 in cold manjista decoction, gradually raising to the boil and working for 30 minutes, 

 a fairly full red shade obtained. 



(4) In view of the similarity between alizarine and the colouring-matter of 

 manjista, and in order to obtain strictly comparable samples of Turkey-red and 



1 Pad with aluminium acetate solution sp. g. 1/025 at 90°F till weight of goods tripled. Hang up for 

 48 hours in a warm moist atmosphere (dry bulb Thermo. 30°C. ; wet bulb. 28°C.) Pass through 2 per 

 cent. (NHJ C0 8 solution and wash. 



To make acetate of alumina : — In one gall, hot water dissolve 2lb. alum ; dissolve in a separate 

 vessel 21b. acetate of lead in one gall, water; in a third vessel dissolve fib. crystallised soda; mix all 

 the solutions together and stir well for some time, then allow to stand over night ; decant the clear 

 solution which is ready for use. 



