290 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



[Calcutta. 



of which there are many varieties, the most remarkable of which is the 

 Indigo/era Tinctoria, (A r t7, Hind. jVi/i, San.) from which the dye is 

 made. The root of this plant is three or four lines thick, and more 

 than a foot long, of a faint smell, something like parsley ; from which 

 issues a single stem nearly of the same tMckness, about two feet high, 

 straight, hard, almost woody, covered with a bark slightly split, of a grey 

 ash colour towards the bottom, green in the middle, reddish at the extre- 

 mity, and without the appearance of pith inside. The leaves are ranged in 

 pairs round the stalk, of an oval form, smooth, soft to the touch, furrowed 

 ahove, of a deep green on the under side, and connected with a very short 

 penduncle. Prom about one-thud of the stem to the extremity there arc 

 ears that are loaded with very small flowers, from 12 to 15, but destitute of 

 smell. The pistil, which is in the middle of each flower, changes into a 

 pod, in which the seeds are enclosed. 



This plant requires a good soil, well tilled, and not too dry ; the seed, 

 which, as to figure and colour, resembles gunpowder, is sown in the broad 

 cast during the latter months of the hot season, or at the commencement of 

 the rains. Continual attention is required to eradicate the weeds ; and with 

 no further labour, the early plant is ready for cutting in the beginning of 

 August, and the fields arriving successively at maturity, supply the works 

 until the commencement of October. 



When the plant has been cut, it is placed in layers in a large wooden 

 vessel, and covered with water. It soon ferments, the water becomes 

 opaque, and assumes a green colour. When the fermentation has continued 

 long enough, which is judged of by the paleness of the leaves, and which 

 requires from 6 to 24 horn s, according to the temperature of the air, and 

 the state of the plant, the liquid is drawn off into large flat vessels, where 

 it is constantly agitated till the blue floculi begin to make their appearance; 

 fresh water is now poured in, which causes the blue flakes to precipitate. 

 The yellow liquid is then drawn off, and the sediment, when the water is 

 sufficiently drained from it, is formed into small cakes, and dried in the 

 shade. 



The indigo imported from India is classed by the trade under the fol- 

 lowing denominations: — East India, blue, purple, violet, and copper. The 

 chief signs of good indigo are its lightness, and feeling dry between the 

 fingers ; its swimming in water ; if thrown upon burning coals, its emitting 

 a violet coloured smoke, and leaving but little ashes behind. In chusing 

 indigo, the large regular formed cakes should be preferred, of a fine rich 

 blue colour, externally free from the white adhesive mould, and of a clean 

 neat shape, as it is much depreciated in consequence of an irregular shape 



