February i, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
S5i 
provinces, for tho reason that the natives call th i 
Name plants or trees by diffeicnt names, and in 
some instances u<e tne same na ne to design it 
very different plants. Were the tr- es or plant 6 
scientifically determined, it would make n • diff rfci.C 
in regard to the confusion which ex:s's as to their 
common nanus; but in the absence of th< ir bo auica 1 
designations, the former in some cases have to b<: 
used. 
Ex-tire Plants. 
Jndiyo. — This is the Indii/o anilifcra, a papilion- 
aceous plain. There are two specie-: the one culti- 
vated, which being treated in the same manner as 
the Chinese plant, produces an identical colouring 
matter, making a blue deposit by the action of con- 
centrated sulphuric acid ; the other, which grows 
wild, called " anilcillo," or " anilillo," from which 
a blue matter is also prepared, but somewhat dif- 
ferent Erora the first, because with sulphurio acid 
it only forms a white insoluble paste. This white 
mass in water again gives a blue dye without being 
decomposed. 
Saffron.— The first watery decoction of this phut 
contains a yellow colour ; the second a red one ; 
but it is evident, owing to the crude appliances, that 
tho separation of Cie two colours by this method is 
vory imperfect. 
Wiid < 'hamoniile. — A number of very different: plants 
are comprehended under this name, though none of 
them hare any similarity to the camomila. The dry 
plant is boiled in water charged with alum, and by 
dipping the wool into tliis boiling liquid, it is dyed a 
very clear yellow. 
Swett Chilca, — Th is plant, which is found on the 
shores of the rivers in nearly all the provinces, is 
a redQOUS ami very aromatic little bush belonging to 
the family of the Ooinpositie. If. produces a fragrant 
and a somewhat sweet-tasting fruit, whence its name. 
The dry bush, together with its fruit, is generally 
11-1 d to dye yellow, though (he juice extracted from 
the green plant pro luces tho same colour. 
I'uliila. — This name is given to a plant very littlu 
known, which pro 'uc b a fiery orange colour. 
I'.ihhi, a plant or vegetable, the extract of which 
without being previously impregi ated by any mor- 
dant, dyes wool to a very firm yellow. The wool 
dy. d yellow by the valda is changed to green when 
pa led through a solution of "anil" On the other 
hind, should those yellow threads he (lipped into a 
hot bath of carbonate of snda, or lye from the jume, 
the yellow tint becomes orange. 
T'lju, sometimes called " Santa Maria," is a bush 
which prows about 10 feet high and produces in 
the spring a vor ■ delicate y. How (lower. A decoction 
of the plant produces a colour corresponding to that 
of the Bower, which is uualterable by alkalies. 
Tola. — This is an arboret, which chiefly grows in 
the pioviuce of Sulfa, and is used for dyeing yellow. 
Piijue, a plant, aho sometimes called " fije," which 
belongs to tho family of the Cinchonaccro. It con- 
tains o yellow tint, but not much is known as yet 
of its application. 
Lkavks, Flowers, am) Knurrs. 
Olavtlina. — The (lowers of this plant are used to 
produce a scarlet colour. 
Valva. — This is the mallow*, the dark violet Mow- 
er of which serves with alum to produce tints from 
grey to va let blue, and with suits of tin tho dark 
vi.di l tints. 
Mot/rr. — This is tho " mollo a tffiir," tho young 
branohes of which, with their haves and fruit, are 
spi eiillv used for tanning purposes, becau -e tlioy oon- 
t tin 18*2 per cunt of tanniu, hut with the use of 
copperas they also produce a groy tint, much em- 
ployed in dyeing wool. 
Ftpixilio. — Tho fruit is rich in tannin, ami therefore 
can he used with copperas to dye from grey to 
black. 
(hi,ti/,i,-,m — The pod of th" gnayaui'i is short an 1 
thick, containing four i r live urn I*. Vail,! I bo hoc. U 
thwnifllvri are licking In tannin, the pod< contain 
utmost JJ per cent ol this material in a perfectly 
pure «t*Ce, widen with coppt-ra-, makes a fine grey 
to a black d'ye. Inasmuch nr. the guayacan is a 
Very abuu lant tree in ihe northern provinces, ami 
produc s a g eat quantity of p > Is, it offers a 
material which must hereafter attract atteutioa as 
an important article of export. 
Roots. 
Alvarillo. — The barks of the roots and even a 
pirt of tho trunks of these trees with a combination 
of alum, produces a yellow tint, which, with a com- 
bination of carbonate of soda, is transformed into 
dnrk crimson. 
Raiz Picnzo. — In English this is called red-root. With 
alum the watery exl ract produces la red colour, which, 
if afterwards treated with carbonate of soda or with 
ammonia, is transformed into a deep scarlet red. 
Ruiz del Oerro, also called " Socouto," tho root of 
which eootiius a highly-esteemed colour, probably 
the alizarina, which has not been heretofore found, 
except iu the Ruhia tinctoriUm. The wool is dyed 
without any mordant from crimson to dark wine 
colour, and tho tints are fast resisting the action 
of lye or the rays of the sun. 
Raiz de Patce. — The pata is a low tree, and in the 
bark of the roots, in the bark of the trunk, and 
even in the wood itself, a colouring matter exists 
which nas not been critic illy studied, but which 
with alum, produces a tint called " coffee colour." 
isacha-xiva. — This is a Berberis, the roots of which, 
like tho European plant, contain a yellow matter, 
which, without mordants, dyes wool a very fino 
ye'lo.v. 
Bakks. 
( \ehil grows in the northern provinces of Tucumau, 
Satla, Jujuy, and in the Gran Chaco in great abun- 
dance. Tlie bark is principally employed in the tan- 
neries, because it contains about 15 - 5 per cent of 
tannin. In combination with copperas it cm also be 
used in dyeing to produce tints from grey to black. 
Sauce. — This is the widow Salix Hwnboldtiana. The 
extract of the willow produces the tints most es- 
teemed by the people of the country. Tho natives 
have for somo time been endeavouring to imitate suc- 
cessfully the natural tint of the vacuna wool, because 
the ponchos woven with this wool have the high- 
est price and are of the best quality. As it is 
extremely difficult to separate the fibres of the va- 
cu5a wool in such wise that the d-tferent tints 
may be woven exactly equal, a substance which will 
dye any othfr white hair or wool tho colour of the 
vacuna — coffee colour — in its shades, and be at the 
same time firm, and lustrous, must be of great 
value. Ouly the extracts of tho l arks of tho sauce 
and the algorrobo seive efficaciously to this end. To 
pro luce the deepest tints of the brown colour, tho 
cuticle of willow bark is employed, but the derma 
as preferred for the lighter tints. It is necessary, 
however, to saturate the threads with alum, as a mor- 
dant before attempting to dye with tho sauce. 
Nbgal. -This is the wild walnut, which answers 
the same purpose as the sauce, but its colours are 
less firm Mid brilliant. 
Woods. 
Quebracho Colorado.— By boiling tho sawdust or 
shavings of the red quobracho, a dark-brown liquid 
is produced, which, being evaporated to dryness and 
cooled, produces an almost bluck resinous re- 
siduum, which is brittle and of a certain lustre, 
hut with which as yet no scioutific experiments 
have been made. For this reason neither its exact 
chemical composition, nor its physical properties aro 
perfectly known, but from its appearance, it is Very 
similar to ihe matter which has long been known to 
commerce as " dragon's blood." Tho extract of que- 
bracho is u-ed alone to dye wool, as also with such 
mordants as alum and copperas, or sulphate of cop- 
per. In tho first mo le, the wool is dyed from bright 
to da'k brown : in the second, from grey to bluck ; 
in tho third to a violet rod. 
Ali/orrobu lilanco.—A brownish-black sap sometime* 
iuus down iu tho bark of tho very old trees wu;e i 
