[ 56 ] 
the leaves in our fpecimens, and in thofe colledled by 
a gentleman who favored me with the fight of 
the plant, are far more pointed, than in the engraved 
figure. The {talks have conftantJy but one flower. 
The dyed porcupine-quills fent along with the 
roots from Hudfon’s- bay, are of the brighteft red and 
yellow : and this circumflance fuggefled to me the 
thoughts of trying whether thefe roots might not 
be ufefully employed in dying. I mentioned it to 
you, and was encouraged to make fuch a trial, as 
the frnall quantity of the roots would permit. 
I boiled a piece of flannel in a folution of half 
fait of tartar and half alum : the ' wet flannel was 
hereupon put into the decodtion of the threeleaved 
Hellebore-roots, and boiled in it for the {pace of 
about $2 or 15 minutes; the flannel, when extracted, 
was dyed with a bright and lading yellow dye. A 
white porcupine quill, boiled in the fame decodtion^ 
became nearly of as bright a yellow, as thofe fent 
over from Hudfon’s- bay. This experiment made 
me believe, that I had hit upon the right method 
of dying with the threeleaved Hellebore ; and will, 
I hope, prompt the diredtors of the Hudfon’s-bay 
Company to order larger quantities of this root from 
their fettlements, as it will no doubt become ail 
ufeful article of commerce. 
The flannel, boiled in fait of tartar and alum as 
above-mentioned, was likewife immerfed and boiled 
for nearly the fame fpace of time as in the former 
experiment, in a decodfion of the root of the Ga- 
lium Tindtorium, but it would dye only a dull and 
faint red. A porcupine quill boiled with it be- 
came yellow, but by no means red. This opera- 
