INDIGO. 
I89 
used by dyers, and painters in water colours. In- 
digo was formerly considered, in Europe, as a kind 
of Indian stone ; nor was its natural history well 
known, till after the discovery of America, and that 
the conquest of part of India had introduced the 
plant to our notice. Nevertheless, long before this 
period, it is pretty certain that the inhabitants of 
Arabia and of Egypt were acquainted with the se- 
cret of making indigo, but they carefully concealed 
the process from other nations. Burchard, in the 
Description cle Vile de Malta , published in 1660 , 
speaks of an indigo manufactory established in that 
island. He says that they grow a species of glas- 
tum, called by the Spaniards anil, and by the Arabs 
and Maltese ennir , from which they obtain a dye. 
The plant is very tender the first year, and the 
feculum which it yields is of a reddish colour, form- 
ing an imperfect kind of paste which sinks in water. 
This indigo is called nouti or monti : that which is 
the produce of the second year they name cyerce or 
ziarie : this is violet, and floats in water. The in- 
digo of the third year is of the least value ; it forms 
a heavy paste of a dull colour, and is known by the 
name of caleld. 
The manner in which the plant is made to yield 
this useful product is simple enough. After having 
cut a quantity of the shrub, the people employed 
for the purpose sink it in a cistern of water, where 
it is suffered to macerate for several days. When 
the water appears to be sufficiently impregnated 
