INDIGO. 



455 



the towns being selected, a part is cut to make a rude fence, and 

 the remainder burnt, which is easily accomplished, as everything 

 is very dry at that season ; and the. ground is afterwards scratched 

 with two sticks, fastened crosswise, to resemble somewhat the 

 shape of a plough, and the seed scattered over it by hand. The 

 rainy season always commences early in May, and the indigo is 

 ready for cutting about the middle of July, taking about two 

 and a half months to come to perfection. The growing crop some- 

 what resembles lucerne, and is in the best state for making indigo, 

 when it becomes covered with a sort of greenish farina. 



The crop of the first year is small, and sometimes not worth 

 manufacturing ; that of the second year is the best, and the third 

 is also very good, if it has been carefully weeded ; but many indigo 

 fields have lasted more than ten years without being re-sown, as 

 the seed which falls naturally springs up again, and where the land 

 is good yields nearly as large a crop as a new sown field. When 

 the plant is ready for manufacturing, a number of men are col- 

 lected, each of whom is either provided vrith, or brings his own 

 mule or horse, if he has one. Two men always go together, cut 

 the plant, then about the height of full-grown red clover, and take 

 it to the vats, which are large tanks made of brick and lime, 

 holding at least 1,000 gallons, and some as much as 10,000. Into 

 these the plant is thrown till they are nearly full, when weights 

 are put above it to prevent its floating, and the vats filled with 

 water till it covers the mass of the indigo plant. After remaining 

 from twelve to twenty-four hours, according to the state of the 

 plant, weather, and other circumstances (the time required being- 

 determined by the color which the water assumes), the herb is 

 taken out, and the water beaten with paddles in the very small 

 vats, and by a wheel suspended above and turned by men or horses 

 in the larger ones, till it changes from a green color, which it lias 

 acquired ere the removal of the herb, to a fine blue, when it is 

 allowed to stand for some hours, till the coloring matter lias 

 settled to the bottom of the tank, a process which is generally 

 hastened by throvviug in an infusion of certain herbs to facilitate 

 its settlement, or as the natives term it curdle (cuaja^-) the 

 colored water. As soon as all the color has settled, the water is 

 drawn off, and the blue, which is of the consistency of thick mud, 

 is taken out of the vat and spread upon cotton, or coarse woollen 

 cloth, and dried in the sun. The color in a great measure depends 

 upon removing the herb exactly at the proper time, and upon 

 properly beating the water, neither too long, or too short. Unless 

 these processes are properly performed, the indigo will not be of 

 first-rate quality ; but some estates will never produce the best 

 indigo, whatever car3 may be bestowed on the manufacture. 



A mansana, of 100 yards square, which is nearly two British 

 statute acres, produces generally about 100 to 120 lbs. of indigo, 

 the carriage and cutting of the herb costing about twenty dollars, 

 and the cleaning of the field and all other expenses connected Avith 

 it, including the manufacture of the indigo, about as much more. 



