83 
The Cochineal plant (Cactus Cochinelifer) has been dis¬ 
covered in South-Carolina, where it can be cultivated to 
any extent. We may therefore reasonably hope that the 
invaluable dye extracted from the insect which gives this 
plant its name, and which always accompanies it, will speed¬ 
ily be numbered among our staple productions.f 
The juice of the common Pokeberry (Phytolacca Decan- 
clra) has lately been added to the list of permanent vegeta¬ 
ble dyes. Dr. Adam Seybert of Philadelphia, was the first 
who succeeded in fixing this colour, which can be changed 
from the brightest crimson to a red little inferior to scarlet. 
It is expected from the further discoveries which are likely 
three feet or more in depth. The ground being first made smooth 
is divided into beds four feet wide, with alternate alleys, half as 
wide again as the beds ; the reason of this extraordinary breadth 
of the alleys will appear presently. In each alley is to be a shal¬ 
low channel for the convenience of irrigating the whole field, See, 
that part of the alley which is not otherwise occupied may be 
sown with legumes. 
“ The Madder seed is sown broad cast in the proportion of 
from 25 to 30 lbs. per acre, about the end of April. In a fort¬ 
night or three weeks the young plants begin to appear, and from 
this time to the month of September, care must be taken to keep 
the ground well watered and free from weeds ; if the plants are 
examined in autumn they will be found surrounded with srhall 
yellow offsets, at the depth of two inches; and early in Septem¬ 
ber the earth from the alleys is to be dug out, and laid over the 
plants of madder to the heights of two or three feet, with this 
the first year’s operation finishes. The second year’s work be¬ 
gins in May, with giving the beds a thorough weeding, and care 
must be taken to supply them with plenty of water during the 
summer; in September the first crop of seed will be ripe, at 
which time the stems of the plants may be mown down, and the 
roots covered a few inches with earth taken as before out of the 
alleys. The weeding should take place as early as possible in 
the spring of the third year, and the crop, instead of being left 
for seed, may be cut three times during summer for green fod¬ 
der, all kinds of cattle being remarkably fond of it. In Octo¬ 
ber the roots are taken up, the offsets carefully separated and 
immediately used to form a new plantation, and the roots, after 
being dried, are sold, either without further preparation, or 
ground to a coarse powder and sprinkled with an alkaline ley. 
The roots lose four-fifths of their weight in drying, and the pro¬ 
duce of an acre is about two thousand pounds weight of dry sale¬ 
able madder.” 
f Archives of KnowL vol. 1st, 257. 
