366 



INDIGO. 



The characteristics of the indigos made by Sayer's process are the 

 small quantity of ash they contain, for while the analyses of ten 

 different kinds of indigos show an average of 16*62 per cent, of ash, 

 those of Sayers only give 2-77, or a difference of 13*85 per cent. 

 The proportion of indigotine is also much greater, the average being 

 70 • 58, and never lower than 65 or 66 ; while that of good ordinary 

 Bengal has only s i average of 61*4 of indigotine. We sometimes 

 meet with 75 to 80 ^er cent, of indigotine in very fine samples of Java 

 and Bengal indigo, ut these are exceptional cases. The fact is that 

 in commerce we onl-^ meet with about 10 per cent, of very fine indigo, 

 85 per cent, of medium quality, and 55 per cent, of ordinary. Indeed 

 it may be said that not 10 per cent, of the indigos of commerce con- 

 tain more than 65 to 66 per cent, of indigotine, which is the minimum 

 proportion of the Sayers' indigos of Java. 



Phili^^pines. — The indigo plant is found in several provinces, but 

 the best quality comes from the north of Luzon. 



The leaf is at times affected by the attacks of locusts and by 

 storms, but growers in good years realise as much as 90 per cent, 

 profit. The process of making the indigo is primitive enough, and is 

 somewhat as follows : 



The plants are cut in April or May ; they are then placed in casks 

 filled with water. After being left to steep for some time they are 

 removed, and a certain quantity of lime mixed with the water. The 

 water is then poured into c "ler casks, where it remains until the 

 colouring matter is depositea As soon as this has taken place 

 the water is drawn off, and the . idigo left to dry. It is then cut out 

 in small pieces. 



Imperfect as this way of manufacturing the indigo is, it still fetches 

 in the market from 35 to 75 dollars the cwt. The plant is rich in 

 indigotine, but the defective preparation makes it rank second in 

 quality as compared with Indian indigo. The exports in 1864 were 

 98 tons; and in 1875, 3165 cwts. 



Africa. — On most parts of the eastern and western coasts of Africa 

 species of indigo are indigenous. 



According to Dr. Barth and all the travellers who have visited the 

 Soudan, the indigo plant grows wild in all the forests. In each town 

 vats are met with, in which the plant is steeped and the dye prepared 

 into cakes. Cakes brought from the Soudan and analysed were found 

 to contain 53 to 54 per cent, of indigotine. The indigo is taken by 

 the caravans by the way of Mourzouk to Egypt. 



In Tunis indigo is cultivated at Nabel and certain parts of the 

 coast, but of a quality very inferior to that imported. 



At Sierra Leone, Liberia, Abeokuta, and parts of the Niger, Natal, and 

 the Cape Colony, indigo plants are abundant, growing wild, and many 

 are utilised by the natives. 



Southern States of America. — Endeavours are being made to revive 

 indigo culture, which once formed an important source of profit in 

 some of the States of North America. 



The best Venezuelan indigo has sold for one dollar per pound, but 

 this is of better quality than that produced in the North. However, it is 

 quite likely that, by the use of better appliances, and more scientifically 



