RUB I A TINCTORUM. -DYER’S MADDER. 
Class IV. TETRANDRIA.— Order I. MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order, STELLATE . — T HE MADDER TRIBE. 
Fig. (a), the flower magnified ; (6), the calyx; (c), the pistillum ; (d), the anther ; (e), the fruit. 
This species of Rubia is the E pevdotiavov of Dioscorides. It is a perennial plant, a native of the South of 
Europe, the Levant, and Africa, flowering in June. It was first cultivated in this country by Gerarde, 
since which period its cultivation has become an object of national importance, from the immense con- 
sumption of the roots as a dye-stuff, by the calico printers and dyers. 
The root of this plant is long, round, jointed, composed of succulent fibres, from which proceed 
numerous small thready side roots, which extend a considerable distance under the ground, and throw up 
many shoots, from which the plant may be propagated; the stems are procumbent, quadrangular, jointed, 
four or five feet in length, and covered with short hooked points, by which they adhere to the neighbouring 
plants for support, and subdivide into numerous branches, proceeding from the articulations; the leaves are 
placed in whorls, from four to six together, elliptical, pointed, rough, ciliated, and arise from the joints of 
the stems and branches; the flowers are small and terminal; the calyx is divided into four teeth ; the 
corolla is of a yellow colour, campanulate, and cut at the brim into four ovate segments; the four filaments 
are short, and support simple erect anthers ; the germen is inferior, double, supporting a slender style, 
dividing at the top into two globular stigmata ; the germen becomes two round black berries, each con- 
taining an ovate seed. 
The madder imported from Smyrna is more esteemed than the best Dutch madder,- which ranks the 
first of that grown in Europe. The madder produced in the lower part of the Rhine is considered by 
Berthollet as not inferior to that of Zealand. 
This is an adjective dye, but affords a permanent colour to cloth which a few days previously has been 
boiled for two or three hours in a solution of alum and tartar. Linen takes this dye with more difficulty than 
cotton. It is seldom used for silk, but is one of the most valuable dyeing drugs for a variety of purposes. 
It is an agent for dyeing many colours, and is therefore peculiarly adapted to the process of calico-printing, 
since by the use of different mordants, a variety of hues may be produced by immersion in the madder bath. 
One mordant in combining with it precipitates the colouring matter red, another purple, another black, and 
so of every possible shade from lilac to black, and from pink to deep red. If a portion of weld or quercitron 
be added to the madder, every shade from brown to orange may be produced. Tin, iron, and aluminous bases, 
as well as other mordants, are used for this purpose, dependant on the colour required. It is a matter of 
doubt and speculation with chemists whether these various colours are produced by the combination of the 
colouring principle of madder with the different mordants, by which a chemical change takes place, or whether 
several colouring matters are not really contained in the substance itself, and severally precipitated or 
retained by the varying action of the different agents to which it may be subjected. It is, however, certain 
that it contains at least two distinct colouring matters, a fawn and a red, and that the admixture of the 
former with the latter very much injures its clearness and beauty. In consequence of this, two kinds of 
red are obtained from madder. The first is simply called madder red, which contains the whole of the 
colouring matter. The other possesses far more lustre, and is much more valued ; it is called Turkey red, 
because first obtained from the Levant. Its superior brilliancy is imparted in consequence of the red 
colouring matter being alone preserved; and while the tint communicated excels in brightness, it has the 
additional and great advantage of extreme durability. 
The manner of producing this desirable effect was for a long period of time a subject of much interest 
and inquiry, the process used in Turkey being enveloped in mystery. The industry of the French artisans 
was stimulated by the interest which their government took in the discovery. Yet attempts at imitating 
this beautiful dye were long fruitless, and when at length they proved successful, this success was limited to 
one or two dye-houses. It was only by very slow degrees that it became more diffused, and then each 
individual who acquired the knowledge jealously guarded his own peculiar secrets which he had introduced 
in the process. 
In 1804 the gold medal of the Society for the encouragement of Arts, &c. was voted to Sir H. C. 
Englefield, for his discovery of a pigment prepared from madder. He obtained a fine lake by many different 
processes, and found that the colour produced from the Smyrna was of a deeper and richer tint than any 
prepared from the Dutch madder. In pursuing his experiments he discovered that the colouring matter 
might be extracted from fresh madder, and thus not only all the expenses and difficulty attendant on the 
process for prepared madder might be avoided, but the cost of carriage would be one fourth less than for 
the roots ; while separated from these the colouring matter might be kept for any length of time without 
danger of being spoiled. A further advantage would also arise in the quantity obtained, as all the colouring 
matter could be extracted; while in the manner which the dyers use the roots, a very considerable part of 
the colour is left in the refuse matter, and consequently wasted. 
