The Commercial Products of the Vegetable Kingdom Part 64

The roots of some species of Lithospermum afford a lac for dyeing and painting. Dried pomegranates are said to be used in Tunis for dyeing yellow; the rind is also a tanning substance.

Sir John Franklin tells us that the Crees extract some beautiful colors from several of their native vegetables. They dye a beautiful scarlet with the roots of two species of bed-straw, _Galium tinctorium_ and _boreale_. They dye black, with an ink made of elder bark and a little bog-iron ore dried and powdered, and they have various modes of producing yellow. They employ the dried roots of the cowbane (_Cicuta virosa_), the bruised buds of the Dutch myrtle, and have discovered methods of dyeing with various lichens.

In the "Comptes Rendus," x.x.xv., p. 558, there is an account by M.J.

Persoz, of a green coloring matter from China, of great stability, from which it appears that the Chinese possess a coloring substance having the appearance of indigo, which communicates a beautiful and permanent sea green color to mordants of alumina and iron, and which is not a preparation of indigo, or any derivative of this dyeing princ.i.p.al. As furnished to M. Persoz by Mr. Forbes, the American consul at Canton, it was in thin plates of a blue color, resembling j.a.panese indigo, but of a finer grain, differing also from indigo in its composition and chemical properties. On infusing a very small quant.i.ty of it in water, this fluid soon acquired a deep blue color with a greenish tinge; upon boiling and immersing a piece of calico on which the mordants of iron and alumina had been printed, it was dyed a sea green color of greater or less intensity according to the strength of the mordant--the portions not coated remaining white.

A berry called _Makleua_ grows on a large forest tree at Bankok, which is used most extensively by the Siamese as a vegetable black dye. It is merely bruised in water, when a fermentation takes place, and the article to be dyed is steeped in the liquid and then spread out in the sun to dry. The berry, when fresh, is of a fine green color, but after being gathered for two or three days it becomes quite black and shrivelled like pepper. It must be used fresh, and whilst its mixture with water produces fermentation. The bark of _Datisca cannabina_ also dyes yellow. It contains a bitter principle, like qua.s.sia.

A coloring matter is prepared from the dried fruit of the _Rottlera tinctoria_, by the natives of the East, to dye orange, which is a brilliant and tolerably permanent dye. It is apparently of a resinous nature.

A small quant.i.ty of Alkanet root (_Anchusa tinctoria_), is imported from the Levant and the south of France, and is used to color gun stocks, furniture, &c., of a deep red mahogany and rosewood color. It is brought over in packages weighing about two cwt., the price being 40s. or 50s. per cwt.

Turmeric is now imported to the extent of upwards of 800 tons, a portion of this is used in dyeing. The culture and commerce has been already noticed in Section III.

The bark and roots of the berberry are used in the East to dye yellow; the color is best when boiled in ley. Some of the species of Symplocos, as _S. racemosa_, known as lodh about the Himalaya mountains, and _S. tinctoria_, a native of Carolina, are used for dyeing. The scarlet flowers of _Butea frondosa_ (the Dhaktree), and _B. superba_, natives of the Indian jungles, yield a beautiful dye, and furnis.h.i.+ng a species of kino (_Pulas kino_), are also used for tanning. _Althea rosea_, the parent of the many beautiful varieties of hollyhock, a native of China, yields a blue coloring matter equal to indigo. Indigo of an excellent quality has been obtained in the East from a twining plant, _Gymnema tingens_ or _Asclepias tingens_.

The juice of the unripe fruit of _Rhamnus infectorius_, _catharticus_ and _virigatius_, known as Turkey or French berries, is used for dyeing leather yellow. When mixed with lime and evaporated to dryness, it forms the color called sap-green. A great quant.i.ty of yellow berries are annually s.h.i.+pped from Constantinople; 115 tons were imported into Liverpool last year. The average annual imports into the United Kingdom are about 450 tons. They come from the Levant in hair bales weighing three and a quarter cwt., or in tierces of four to five cwt., and are used by calico printers for dyeing a yellow color. They are sometimes called Persian berries.

It is a subject of surprise that the common betel-nut of the East has never been introduced for dyeing purposes. The roots of the awl tree of Malabar and other parts of India, _Morinda citrifolia_, and of _M.

tinctoria_, found abundant in all the Asiatic islands, are extensively used as a dye stuff for giving a red color. It is usually grown as a prop and shade for the pepper vine and coffee tree. The coloring matter resides princ.i.p.ally in the bark of the roots, which are long and slender, and the small pieces are the best, fetching 8s. to 10s. a maund. It is exported in large quant.i.ties from Malabar to Guzerat, and the northern parts of Hindostan, but seldom finds its way to Europe.

The wood and roots of another species, _M. umbellata_, known in the eastern islands as "Mangkudu," are used extensively for their red dye, in Celebes and Java. Specimens of all these, and of the Lopisip bark, bunchong bulu wood, and the gaju gum (from undescribed plants), have been introduced into England. They are said to furnish excellent dyes in the Asiatic islands. Native dyes from Arracan have also been imported, viz., thit-tel and the-dan yielding red dyes, ting-nget and reros, affording dark purple dyes; and thit-nan-weng, a chocolate dye.

These would be worth enquiry, and particulars of the plants yielding them, the quant.i.ties available, and the prices might be procured. Dyes and colors from the following plants are obtained in India: several species of _Terminalia_, _Sinecarpus Anacardium_, _Myrica Sapide_, _Nelumbium speciosus_, _Butea frondosa_, and _Nyctanthes arboretristis_. The bunkita barring, obtained from an undescribed plant in Borneo, produces a dark purple or black dye. A species of ruellia, under the name of "Room," is employed in its raw state by the Khamptis and Lingphos to dye their clothes of a deep blue. It is described by the late Dr. Griffiths as "a valuable dye, and highly worthy of attention." It might, perhaps, be usefully employed as the ground for a black dye. In Nepaul they use the bark of _Photinia dubia_ or _Mespilus Bengalensis_ for dyeing scarlet. The bark of the black oak, _Quercus tinctoria_ and its varieties, natives of North America, are used by dyers under the name of quercitron.

In the south of Europe, _Daphne Gnidium_ is used to dye yellow. The root of reilbon, a sort of madder in Chili, dyes red. A purple tint or dye is obtained from the bark of an undescribed tree, known under the name of "_Grana ponciana_," growing about Quito; and Stevenson (Travels in South America) says, "if known in Europe, it would undoubtedly become an article of commerce." Another much more expensive species of coloring matter (red) is obtained in various parts of South America from the leaves of the _Bignonia Chica_, a climbing evergreen shrub, native of the Orinoco country, with large handsome panicles of flowers. The coloring substance is obtained by decoction, which deposits, when cool, a red matter; this is formed into cakes and dried. Dr. Ure thinks it might probably be turned to account in the arts of civilization. The order of plants to which it belongs, contains a vast number of species, all natives of tropical regions, and their value for the production of coloring substances may be worth investigation.

It is met with in British Guiana, and the Indian tribes of that district prepare the pigment with which they stain their skin from it; it is called by them "Caraveru." The coloring matter is used as a dye in the United States, and for artistical purposes would rival madder.

Sir Robert Schomburgk thinks it might form an article of export if it were sufficiently known, as its preparation is extremely simple. The leaves are dried in the sun, and at the first exposure, after having been plucked from the vine which produces them, they show the abundant feculent substance which they contain.

LANA DYE.--A beautiful bluish-black color, known as "Caruto," is procured in Demerara and Berbice from the juice of the fruit of the _Genipa Americana_, Linn.--a tree very common in the colony. The Indians use it for staining their faces and persons. The Lana dye was honorably mentioned by the jurors at the Great Exhibition in 1851. The bluish-black color obtained from it is remarkably permanent, a fact which has very long been known, though hardly any attempt appears to have been made to introduce it to the notice of European dyers.

Another pigment is prepared by them from arnotto, mixed with turtle oil, or carap oil, obtained from the seeds of the _Carapa guianensis_ (Aubl.). The wild plantain (_Urania guianensis_) and the cultivated plantain (_Musa paridisiaca_), the Mahoe (_Thespesia populnea_), and the pear seed of the Avocado (_Persea gratissima_), furnish dyes in various parts of the West Indies; specimens of many of these have been imported from British Guiana and Trinidad.

Russia produces good specimens of the wood of _Statice coriaria_, the leaves and bark of sumach, the bark of the wild pomegranate, yellow berries, _Madia sativa_, saffron, safflower and madder roots for dyeing purposes.

_Avicenna tomentosa_, a species of mangrove, is very common about the creeks of Antigua, Jamaica, and other West India islands, where it is used for dyeing and tanning.

In New Zealand, the natives produce a most brilliant blue-black dye from the bark of the Eno, which is in great abundance. Some of the borders of the native mats, of a most magnificent black, are dyed with this substance. It has been tried in New South Wales; but, as with other local dyes, although found well suited for flax, hemp, linen, or other vegetable productions, it could not be fixed on wools or animal matter. Dr. Holroyd, of Sydney, some time since, imported a ton of it for a friend near Bathurst. It is of great importance that chemical science should be applied to devise some means of fixing this valuable dye on wool. As the tree is so common, the bark could be had in any quant.i.ty at about 3 10s. a ton; and our tweed manufacturers are in great want of a black dye for their check and other cloths.

The princ.i.p.al heavy woods used for dyeing are fustic, logwood, Nicaragua wood, barwood, camwood, red Sanders wood, Brazil wood, and sappan wood. All the dyewoods are nearly 2 per ton higher than last year.

Common Spanish fustic which in September, 1852, was only 3 10s. per ton, now fetches 6 10s. in the Liverpool market; and there is a great demand for all kinds of dyewoods. Tampico and Puerto Cabello fustic are now worth 6 10s. to 7 the ton, Cuba ditto, 9 10s. to 10.

Sappan wood is 4 higher than last year; barwood has risen cent per cent; logwoods are 2 per ton higher.

The following were the prices of the different dyewoods in the Liverpool market, on the 1st September, 1853, per ton:--

s. d. s. d.

FUSTIC, common Spanish 5 10 0 to 6 10 0 Tampico 6 10 0 7 0 0 Puerto Cabello 6 10 0 7 10 0 Cuba 8 0 0 9 10 0 LOGWOOD, Jamaica 5 0 0 5 5 0 St. Domingo 5 5 0 5 10 0 Campeachy, direct 7 12 6 8 0 0 Indirect and Tobasco 6 10 0 7 0 0 NICARAGUA. WOOD.

Rio de la Hache, solid 9 0 0 11 10 0 " " small 6 0 0 6 10 0 Lima 12 0 0 14 10 0 BARWOOD, Angola } Gaboon } 7 0 0 ----- CAMWOOD 25 0 0 30 10 0 RED SANDERS WOOD 5 15 0 6 10 0 SAPPAN WOOD 10 0 0 15 0 0

RED SANDERS WOOD (_Pterocarpus santalinus_), which is hard and of a bright garnet red color, is employed to dye a lasting reddish brown on wool. It only yields its color to ether or alcohol. The tree, which is a lofty one, is common about Madras and other parts of India; it is also indigenous to Ceylon, Timor, and other Eastern islands. The exports of this wood from Madras in one year have been nearly 2,000 tons.

The imports of red Sanders wood from Calcutta and Bombay chiefly into London are to the extent of 700 or 800 tons a year, worth 6 to 9 per ton.

Of FUSTIC we import from 1,500 to 2,000 tons annually. We derive our supplies from Brazil, Tampico, Puerto Cabello, Cuba, and Jamaica. The best is obtained from Cuba; for while the common white fustic from Jamaica and the Spanish Main fetches only 5 10s. to 6 10s. the ton, that of Cuba realizes from 8 to 9 10s. the ton.

SAPPAN WOOD (_Caesalpinia Sappan_) is an article of considerable commerce in the East. It is the bukk.u.m wood of Scinde, and is procured in Mergui, Bengal, the Tena.s.serim Provinces, Malabar and Ceylon. In 1842 as much 78,000 cwts. were s.h.i.+pped from Ceylon, but the export from thence has decreased. This island, however, s.h.i.+ps dyewoods annually to the amount of 2,000. A large quant.i.ty is exported from Siam and the Philippine Islands; as much as 200,000 piculs annually from the former, and 23,000 piculs from Manila. 3,524 piculs were s.h.i.+pped from Singapore in 1851, and 4,074 piculs in 1852. The picul is about one cwt. and a quarter. Sappan wood yields a yellowish color, like that of Brazil wood (_C. brasiliensis_) but it does not afford of dye matter so much in quant.i.ty or so good in quality.

It forms a large export from Ceylon: the s.h.i.+pments from thence were, in 1842, 77,694 cwt.; in 1843, 1,692; in 1844, 2,592; in 1845, 2,854.

I have no detailed returns at hand, but in 1837, 23,695 piculs of sappan wood, and 2,266 piculs of roots of ditto were s.h.i.+pped, and in the first six months of 1843, 22,326 piculs were exported from Manila; a large portion of this comes to Europe, but some goes to China, the United States, Singapore, &c. 15,500 piculs were s.h.i.+pped from Manila in 1844, 5,250 ditto in 1845; and 1,210 tons in 1850. About 3,000 piculs of sappan wood and the same quant.i.ty of other dye-stuffs are annually imported into Shanghae. The price of straight sappan wood at Shanghae in July, last year, was thirty dollars per picul.

In Calcutta, in June last year, 4,000 piculs of the root of Manila sappan wood sold freely at about 7s. 6d. per factory maund, Siam ditto 6s.

75 tons were imported into Liverpool in 1849; and 120 tons in 1850, from Calcutta. The imports of sappan wood into the United Kingdom, in 1850, amounted to 3,670 tons, worth 8 to 12 the ton, and this continued the price in January 1853.

Camwood, red sanders wood, barwood, and other dye woods, are found in great quant.i.ties in many parts of Africa. The dyes of Africa are found to resist both acids and light, properties which no other dyes seem to possess in the same degree. About thirty miles east of Ba.s.sia Cove, in the republic of Liberia, is the commencement of a region of unknown extent, where scarcely any tree is seen except the camwood. This boundless forest of wealth, as yet untouched, is easily accessible from that settlement; roads can be opened to it with little expense, and the neighbouring kings would probably give their co-operation to a measure so vastly beneficial to themselves. It is impossible to ascertain the exact amount of export of these commodities to Europe and the United States, but it is very great, and employs a large amount of vessels. One Liverpool house imported 600 tons in a single year, worth 9,000.

In 1841 upwards of 3,000 tons of dye woods were imported into Liverpool from the western coast of Africa.

CAMWOOD (_Baphia nitida_) is used as a mordant and for producing the bright red color seen in English bandana handkerchiefs. The imports from Sierra Leone to Liverpool in 1849 were 216 tons, worth 20 to 25 per ton.

Gaboon barwood is another variety of this dyewood which is imported from the west coast of Africa, in straight flat pieces, from three to, five feet in length; the average annual import being about 2,000 tons, of the value of 4 a ton.

The imports of barwood into Liverpool were in--

Tons.

1835 2,000 1836 1,000 1837 1,150 1838 650 1839 350 1841 2,012 1850 1,710

Dyewoods imported in 1850. Re-exported.

Logwood 32,930 4,332 Fustic 9,808 1,771 Nicaragua 7,909 112 Barwood 1,896 1,229 Sappan 3,670 -- Green Ebony, and } Cocuswood } 1,457 -- Red Sanders 656 -- Camwood 416 -- Brazil and Brazillito 309 -- ------ ----- 59,051 7,444

Thus we perceive the annual consumption of heavy dyewoods in this country, in dyeing cotton, linen, woollen and silk goods, &c., exceeds in weight 51,000 tons.

ARNOTTO.--The plants of this family are chiefly natives of the warmest parts of South America, the East and West Indies, and Africa. In America the seeds are called achote or roucou. From the port of Barcelona, in Venezuela, about 2,000 quintals are annually exported.

The species grown for its dye is the _Bixa orellana_. It is used to impart a bright orange color to silk goods, and to afford a deeper shade to simple yellows. The dry hard paste is also found to be the best of all ingredients for giving a golden tint to cheese or b.u.t.ter.

A convenient liquid preparation is now sold to dairymen. The Spanish Americans mix it with their chocolate, to which it gives a beautiful rich hue.

It is of two sorts, viz.:--

1. Flag or cake arnotto, which is by far the most important article in a commercial point of view, is furnished almost wholly by Cayenne. It is imported in square cakes, weighing two or three pounds each, wrapped in banana leaves, packed in casks.

2. Roll arnotto is princ.i.p.ally brought from Brazil. The rolls are small, not exceeding two or three ounces in weight. It is hard, dry, and compact, brownish on the outside, and of a beautiful red color within.

The dye is usually prepared by macerating the pods in boiling water for a week or longer. When they begin to ferment, the seeds ought to be strongly stirred and bruised with wooden pestles to promote the separation of the red skins. This process is repeated several times, till the seeds are left white. The liquor pa.s.sed through close cane sieves, pretty thick, of a deep red color, and a very bad smell, is received into coppers. In boiling, it throws up its coloring matter to the surface in the form of sc.u.m, which is taken off, saved in large pans, and afterwards boiled down to a due consistence, and then made up, when soft, into b.a.l.l.s or cakes of two or three pounds weight.

The following description of the manufacture is from Dr. Ure:--

"The pods of the tree being gathered, their seeds are taken out and bruised; they are then transferred to a vat, which is called the steeper, where they are mixed with as much water as covers them. Here the substance is left for several weeks or even months; it is now squeezed through sieves placed above the steeper, that the water containing the coloring matter in suspension may return into the vat.