DYES AKD COLOEOG STUrTS. 



known in Europe, it would undoubtedly become an article of 

 commerce." Another much more expensive species of coloring 

 matter (red) is obtained in various parts of South America from 

 the leaves of the Bignonia Chica, a climbing evergreen shrub, native 

 of the Oriuoco country, with large handsome panicles of flowers. 

 The coloring substance is obtained by decoction, which deposits, 

 when cool, a red matter ; this is formed into cakes and dried. Dr. 

 Ure thinks it might probably be turned to account in the arts 

 of civilization. The order of plants to which it belongs, contains 

 a vast number of species, all natives of tropical regions, and their 

 value for the production of coloring substances may be worth 

 investigation. 



It is met vdth in British G-uiana, and the Indian tribes of that 

 district prepare the pigment with which they stain their skin from 

 it ; it is called by them " Caraveru." The coloring matter is used 

 as a dye in the United States, and for artistical purposes would 

 rival madder. Sir Eobert Schomburgk thinks it might form an 

 article of export if it were sufficiently known, as its. preparation 

 is extremely simple. The leaves are dried in the sun, and at the 

 first exposure, after having been plucked from the vine which pro- 

 duces them, they show the abundant feculent substance which they 

 contain. 



'L^lS^. Dte. — A beautiful bluish-black color, known ns " Caruto," 

 is procured in Demerara and Berbice from the juice of the fruit of 

 the Genipa Americana, Linn. — a tree very common in the colony. 

 The Indians use it for staining their faces and persons. The 

 Lana dye was honorably mentioned by the jurors at the G-reat 

 Exhibition in 1851. The bluish-black color obtained from it 

 is remarkably permanent, a fact which has very long been 

 knowD, though hardly any attempt appears to have been made to 

 introduce it to the notice of European dyers. Another pigment is 

 prepared by them from arnotto, mixed with turtle oil, or carap 

 oil, obtained from the seeds of the Caraj^a giiianensis (Aubl.). 

 The wild plantain {Urania guianensis) and the cultivated plantain 

 (Musa parirlisiaca), the Mahoe {Thespesia yopulneo?), and the 

 pear seed of the Avocado {Fersea gratissimd), furnish dyes in 

 various parts of the "West Indies ; specimens of man}^ of these 

 have been imported from British Gruiana and Trinidad. 



Russia produces good specimens of the wood of Statice coriaria, 

 the leaves and bark of sumach, the bark of the wild pomegranate, 

 yellow berries. Madia satica, saflron, safflower and madder roots 

 for dyeing purposes. 



Avicenna tomentosa, a species of niangrove, is very common 

 about the creeks of Antigua, Jamaica, and other West India 

 islands, where it is used for dyeing and tanning. 



In N'ew Zealand, the natives produce a most brilliant blue- 

 black dye from the bark of the Eno, which is in great abundance. 

 Some of the borders of the native mats, of a most magnificent 

 black, are dyed with this substance. It has been tried in New South 

 Wales ; but, as with other local dyes, although found Avell suited 



