TEE AOBIGU LTU BAL JOURNAL. 



The Prospects of Natural Indigo. 



r\ HE British Consul at Marseilles in 

 I liis latest report cl:sciisses the me- 

 thods to be adopted by indigo planters 

 to meet the competition of the artificial 

 product. He remarks, there is a way 

 out. It will be found in improved culti- 

 vation, on scientific principles, of the 

 plant, and in improved methods of ex- 

 tracting the natural dye from the indigo 

 plant. Considerable initiative and some 

 outlay of capital is required. The old 

 mechanical method of hand-and-foot la- 

 bour, as handed down from generation to 

 generation, without any thought of im- 

 provement, will have to go. The process 

 of extracting the maximum quantity of 

 pure indigotine from the vats is being 

 closely inquired into by experts, I am 

 told. Authorities in chemistry will un- 

 doubtedly succeed in obtaining increased 

 proportions of colouring matter from 

 the plant, which has hitherto not been 

 expected to give more than 1^ lbs. of 

 indigo for 100 lbs. of the plant. At the 



present moment experiments are m pro- 

 gress in Cambodia, which will be of par- 

 ticular interest to indigo planters in Bri- 

 tish India. I am told that one Martini- 

 que planter has succeeded in (ibtaining 

 a product containing 73 per cent, of 

 pure indigotine at a cost of Is. Id. per 

 lb. This is at a notably less cost than 

 that of artificial indigo, as stated above. 

 It is thus far from a certainty that 

 natural indigo will disappear from the 

 market as soon as madder did when 

 threatened by German chemical competi- 

 tion. Indigo planters willing to radi- 

 cally alter their old-time methods, im- 

 prove their cultivation of the crops and 

 alter the mode of extraction of the dye, 

 and who, by means of combination Math 

 official help, can make the necessary sac- 

 rifices that the changes will entail, may 

 take heart of grace. The last word has 

 not been said yet on the subject of 

 natural indigo.— Jm^eriai Institute Joiir- 

 rial. 



Lemons. 



YEEY few, says "Queensland Country 

 Life," perhaps realise how very use- 

 ful lemons are, not only for cookery, but 

 in many other ways. Here are some of 

 ■ the things lemons are good f or— hrst ol 

 all for toilet purposes, as they are not 

 only healthful but beautifiers. 



Pure lemon juice and water makes an 

 excellent medicine, if taken in niodera- 

 tion, as it clears the skin and purifies the 

 complexion. Chapped hands can be soft- 

 ened and whitened by applying lemon- 

 juice; but it should not be used every 

 day, as it tends to dry the skm. if ap- 

 plied to the face once or twice a week, it 

 prevents wrinkles. 



A few slices of lemon in the washhancl 

 ewer will soften and perfume the water. 



Lemon-juice and magnesia, applied to 

 the face and hands, will make the skm 

 white and soft. 



A teaspoonful of lemon-juice m warin 

 water will make good tooth-wash, but 

 the mouth must be thoroughly rinsed out 

 after using. The same quantity of lemon- 

 juice and water is an excellent remedy 

 for stained finger-nails. 



Lemon-juice is also good to cure un- 

 broken chilblains with. 



For headaches, a slice of lemon placed 

 on the temples will give relief; while a 

 cup of strong coffee, with a teaspoonful of 

 lemon-juice in it, instead of milk, will 

 cure a sick headache. 



\ glass of hot lemon and water taken 

 the last thing at night before going to 

 sleep, and as hot as possible, is a splen- 

 did remedy for a cold, as it induces a pro- 

 found perspiration. 



In cookery, every housewife knows the 

 value of lemons, both juice and rind— as 

 a squeeze of the former in most things 



