CHAT ROOT. 



The imports of arnotto have been as follows : — ■ 



Eetained for 

 lbs. home consumption, 



1834 • ■ 252,981 ...... _ 



1835 163,421 — 



1839 303,489 ...... 224,794 



1840 408,469 330,490 



1847 270,000 296,821 



1849 162,400 . . 145,824 



1850 301,504 231,280 



The price of flag arnotto in the London Diarket, in J une 1853, 

 was Is. per lb. 



We imported from France, in 1850, 1,924 cwt. of roll or flag 

 arnotto, of the official value of £21,499 ; and in 1851, 1,253 cwt., 

 worth £13,968. 



Wood dje exported from Ceylon — 



Yalue Quantity 

 £ cwts. 



1848 1,359 — 



1849 2,035 — 



1850 1,766 5,206 



1851 259 776 



1852 770 2,396 



Chat-eoot. — There is a plant called chay, the Oldenlandia 

 umheUata, which is extensively cultivated as a dye plant in the 

 East, especially on the coasts of Coromandel, Nellore, Masidipatam, 

 Malabar, and other parts of India. The outer bark of the roots 

 furnishes the coloriug matter for the durable red for which the 

 chintzes of India are famous. Chay-root forms a considerable article 

 of export from Ceylon. The wild plant there is considered prefer- 

 able ; the roots, which are shorter, yielding one-fourth part more 

 coloring matter, and the right to dig it is farmed out. It grows 

 spontaneously on light, dry, sandy ground on the sea coast ; the 

 cultivated roots are slender, with a few lateral fibres, and from one 

 to two feet long. The dye is said to have been tried in Europe, but 

 not with ver}^ advantageous effect. Dr. Bancroft suspects it may 

 be injured by the long voyage, but he adds that it cannot produce 

 ^ny effbct which may not be more cheaply obtained from madder. 



This red dye, similar to Munjeet, is used to a great extent in 

 the southern parts of Hindostan by the native dyers. 



It is not held in very good estimation in Europe but seems to 

 deserve a better reputation than it at present possesses. Attention 

 was drawn to it as a dye-stuff" in 1798, by a special minute of the 

 Board of Trade recommending its importation ; but Dr. Bancroft, 

 who made some experiments Avith a sample of damaged chay-root, 

 considered it inferior to madder and hence discouraged its further 

 importation. 



The bark and root of various species of Morinda {M. citrifolia 

 and tinctoj'ict) are used in different parts of the East Indies, aud 

 considered a very valuable red dye. The colors dyed with it are 

 for the most part exceedingly brilliant, and the coloring matter is 



2 G 



