MORINDA TINCTORIA. 



57 



pose a mixture is made of 4 lbs. of castor oil, 5 lbs. of tlie alkaline earth known as rassi, 

 and 1\ lbs. of sheep's dung in about 30 gallons of water. The cloth is steeped in this 

 mixture for twelve days, and afterwards washed in clear water. It is then soaked in a 

 decoction of myrobalan {Terminalia Chebula) in water, and after that in alum water. It 

 is then ready for the application of the dye. For each piece of cloth, measuring 8 

 yards x 1 yard, 30 lbs. of powdered dl are mixed with water and boiled. Into the 

 mixture, while boiling, the cloth is thrown and boiled with it till it has become dyed 

 to the shade required. It is then cleaned and washed, and afterwards sized by being 

 dipped in a solution of gum and water and beaten smooth with wooden clubs. The 

 term khdrua is properly applied to this cloth when it has been dyed a dull-red colour in 

 this manner; before dyeing it is generally known as ikri. The manufacture and dyeing 

 of this cloth is almost peculiar to the neighbourhood of Mau Eanipur, in the Jhansi 

 district. The following is the cost of dyeing a bale of 60 pieces of the cloth : — 





RS. 



A. 



p. 



20 lbs. of sheep or goat's dung, 



... 







3 



4 gallons of castor oil, 



... 3 



8 







3 ,, of rassi, 



• •• o 



8 







6 lbs. of myrobalan, 



... 



4 







3 ,, of alum, 







7 







6 ,, of dha flower, 



... o 



3 







98 „ of al (best quality), 



.. 12 











86 ,, of al (inferior quality), 



<3 











4 „ of soap, 



1 











20 ,, of gum, 



1 











Washing, 



1 











Firewood, 



— 1 











Pay of beaters, ... 



— 1 













Total, 27 



14 



3 



A bale of undyed ikri sells for Es. 56 ; after dyeing it fetches Es. 90, giving thus 

 to the dyer a profit of Es. 6-1-9. The well-known red sdlu, much used for turbans, 

 curtains, &c, is also dyed red with dl. The colour of the cloth remains permanent if 

 the cloth is boiled in the tincture of dl. 



Mr. Crook e, in his Glossary, states that from some mistaken connection with the 

 Arabic " dl," meaning " family," natives think it unlucky to dig up the roots as it 

 destroys one's dl aulad. 



Explanation of Plate LXXXIX. 



] . Root. I 2. Section of flower. 



3. Cluster of fruits. 



1 



