American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1824-02-13
From the National Museum, 1914.


PROCESS FOR DYEING COTTON
.8drianople Turkey Red as practised at .astrs-
can.
One Of my friends, the proprietor Of dye. house
at Astracan, communicated to me the most accu.
rate details of the process for dyeing cotton Tur-
key red. After the cotton yarn has undergone pre-
liminary preparations for discharging and perfect
cleansing, it is immersed, for the FIRST time in fish
grease or FISH oil, which il. made into lsther by
a solution of soda heaped up in this bath, where
it heats sensiby it is left two days. from Satur-
day till Monday, when it is washed, dried, re i'm
mersed in this oily emulsion or saponaceous mass,
ard again suspended in the air. The same opera
ton is repeated on Tuesday, for the third time
The following days j, is washed four times in ley
made of solution Of pure soda, or pure ley made
of kelp or harills After that il receives first tDge
of olive green, with the leaves OF oriental sumach
(rhas cotinuS:) 125b. OF these leaves, for which
a different proportion OF nutgalls may be subsu-
ted, and probably some of the kinds of occidental
or American sumach might answer, with about 40
gallons of water, boiled in a cauldron are sufficient
for 330lbs. Of cotton yarn. To this decocton, after
being well boiled, strained and the boiler cleaned of
all extraneous matter, are added 35lbs of alum.
The yarn is then divided into skains, and placed in
little pots in this boiler and boiled; after
which it is sufficiently prepared for red dye. To
prepare this bath, take 53lbs of madder roofs
(Tu61G ttnct0rumJ ground, to each 3Slbs OF yarn
(less madden will do if it be of the best quaiy).
The madden is then kneaded in about seven quarts
az blood with which it is well boiled in the cauldron
the yarn IS afterwards immersed in this boiled color,
and the boiling continued until it is well penetrated
by the colorng particles. The colored stuff is then
dried and afterwards put into pots full Of weak al
kalne ley, in which it is slightly boiled. In this
latter process the alkaline liquor is constantly kept
Of equal strength by the addition Of fresh ley being
regularly added. The cotton yarn, when sufficient
ly simmered 10 this liquor, cleaned and dried, is
found perfectly dyed. The series of operations gen,
erally continues 81 days 1t is said that the Turks.
to give il brighter deeper color, finish by plung-
ing il again in an oily emulsion, and that they leave
ii to airy under the effect Of press. They also use
oil Of olives instead of fish oil. ln general, all
tuous or greasy fluids, that will laher perfectly with
solution of soda, equally proper for this dye.
The madden which has small roots is considered the
Ibest. Thirty three pounds of kelp or crude soda
(kaLnknr are generally enough for boiler con-
tanning 14O gallons Of water. To dye 40lbs. of cts-
ION. take 15lbs of sumach, 4lbs of alum, 58bs of
fish grease or oil 40 lbs of crude soda kelp 40lbs
of madder. Two caudrons and four alkaline watts
suffice. PALLAs'
All commerce is founded on principle OF re-
lciprocty and that country will certainly prosper
most and have the foundation of her greatness best
secured, who is a universal merchant, and deals
with all the world ON (respecttuD lair and liberal
lprinciples.-E Edinburgh Rerielr.