Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-02

scientific, anI experienced 6yers, that's deep,
pcr"iaBent, and brilliant blue, cannot be pio-
duced, enlcss the Indigo ret is fermcnted with
woad
IL has lon. been used in France, Germany
aud Holland, IN preparing the isGig5 rats i'm the
best manufactures of those Countries aud is
now used in England; il is found impossible TO
initiate The justly celebrated MAYA, Blues OF
France withoutit more perfect tcrmenta-
ton Is thereby produced, aud the particles of
indigo consequently more uniformly Yield in
solution.
The colorins pigment prepared i'm this man
ner, ATTACHES itself 50 hrmiy To the fabric, that
cloths thus dyed, appear ct "A ,tecp uniform
aud beautiful blue; the color docs not rub
off, and never fades. by exposure TO wet.
heat or the air, but remains permanent and
unchanged.
There Is not AN art less perfectly understood
in this country than d. einy and it has been
owing To the eNertionsot the first chymists OF
i.uiope, that 1t has been reduced 10 a perfect
system, aud the whole process conducted on
known established principles
Formerly there was a mySteriOusness in the
process, which for long time excluded all
a'teuipt> at investigation. Those who practiS-
{" Tue ara. made II u point to keep az impor-
tam secrets whatever thes knew, and like the
manufacturers ct glass, suffered no inspectiou
ct tser 'abors, lest they should be robbed of AN
imaginary treasure. There were now no means
w!tnin iiieir powerOf detecting the causes of
iaiufe ln the preparation Of thervats for they
were ignorant OF the ciymical effects of the
different ingredients used 'Fl.cy merely kney;
from practice or tradition, that certain com
p'ha'ioh OF materials, made a red. blue. vel
low orSreen dye, and il, from an iniudicious
adniNture, the anticipated result did NOT
take place, they merely said Gey had :" bad
Laclt'
Long custom had created prejudices which
forbade instruction. and like many ind;
vlduais ut every mechanical art, the Overs laid
II down as AN axiom, that nothing useful could
be learned from books or instruction commm
nicateH ny individuals, who had not served an
apprenticeship, and labored in ilc same voc;l-
ton.
The vast strides which have been made in
knowledge during the last fifty wears.
have not been confined To the schools of the
hterati, or only known to the secluded philoso-
phsr.
Useful discoveries in the arts, instead of
merely giving eclat to the l,borious in,esti.rl-
tor and patient cXperimentalist, have been ex-
tensiveiy disseminated.
This perfection of I.uropean manufactures ;s
attributable 70 the march ofcIiymical nveS,iga-
ton.
The superior manufactures of painters col
ors, earthcnwarc and porcelain, soap, medicinal
preparations, the working OF metals the art of
dyein@ and dstiliing, and the astonishing
improvements III agriculture, are some Of
the important effects which have resulted from,
the chyinIcal- pursuits of the learned individn-
century.
Although the United States have progressed
IN civilization and the arts, in a manner unpar
aiieiied III the annals OF nations, still much re-
mans Tor enquiry * its the duty of every ci-
tzen to contribute, by every means within his
power, whatever may tend 10 advance the bost
interests of all classes of society, s. render our
nation industrious, learned, independent, and
happy.
send quantity of woad seed, which please
to distribute with the books, aud TO such per
sons as YOU choose.
With sentiments of the highest respect.
nave the honor TO be, sir, your obe,lient serv-
ant,
II. A. s. DEARBORN.
sAIrEL L. MITCHELL. MD.
Professor OF Natural History i'm the
New-lork University &c