Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-01-31


eral intelligent and public spIri'ed individ'
uals. The plant grows wild in many parts
of The south of Europe. The root is pc
reunial, long creeping, abou, AS large as
quill. aud red both without and within
frrm it arise several trailing, quadransular
stems, rough branching. and two or three
feet in length the leaves are oblong, oval
aud pricky on the margin aud mid-rlb
the flowers are yellow and small and are
disposed in paaicle, al The extremity of
the branches, aud the axis Of the superior
leaves; they make their appearance in
June and July, and are succeeded by black
sh berries. The most approved method
of culture is from seed. and when this prac-
lice is pursued, certain precautions are re
qusIe. AS the nadder o. hot climates
affords more colorIus matter, rs well as
deeper tint, il Is besl for those who live in
a northern resion 10 import The seed from
The south. Again, when the seed is too
much dried, it will remain in the ground
Two years before il will eerminate On
this account, it should be kept in bed OF
moistenrd earth of sand, whenever there
is any DELAY in sowing ii. A lighI, rich
aud deep soil is the most suitabl~, and it
should be pIuushed 10 the depth of two
feer. The time Of sowing is in February,
or the beginning of March. for the northern,
and in September or October for The more
southern regions.
'"This kind Of crop reqnires but little
care and attention. For The first year,
it is only necessary TO keep il free from
weeds, aud to hoe il slightly once during
the summer, and again lille moro dee
ply in the laIIer part Gf The season the
same is reqired the third yrar, except
thar The earth is heaped about The STEMS
in order to make il sh ,ol up with more
vigor. aud enlarge the roms, 1t is usual,
before he second lime Of hoelng, TO cut the
stems for cattle. " hU are very IUud Olil;
but this practice shnnld mol hr repeated.
during tie season, as recommended hy
some writers, or tie roots will suffer. II
is only al the end Of The third year. hat
the crop is really for harvesting; and if il
is suffered tn remain in The ground beyond
this period, more is lost than gained. The
roo,s al this time contain the greatest
quantity Of coloring matter, aud have al.
Ialned their full size. The hest method of
oblaluing The roots is the following A
trench is dug along the rows 10 llie depth
Of Two feet. when, loosening the earth
about The TOOLS. they may be taken up en-
tire. In IA good soil a single plant may
yield furly pounds of fresh roos', which
diminish, in drying six sevenths, or seven'
eishIs Of their weight. The roofs should
be Immediately washed, freed from all de-
cayed parts, and dried as quickas possible,
either by The sun or in kiln. 1t is well
observed ,lIat maddcr is a hazarious crop,
as from its yielding a return only after a
lapse OF three years, it is often impossible
10 iIrcscc what will he tho state of The
market al that time. Another mode of
cultivation is from the roots, which are di
viIed aud sci out. Twenty thousand
planls may be allotted 10 an acre.
"in England, The naddcr of Holland is
The most esteemed, aud il is cultivated in
thai country to a very great extent. The
process of puIverizinB the rou,s. which is
done by poundiug or grinding. was for a
long time kept secretly the Dutch. In
The slate nf powder, it is cl an orange
brown color, aud is liable 10 becume damp.
and to be solid ifkcp in muist place,
Madder is used for dying wolen, silk, and
also cotton goods, and the color is very
lasting and resisls the action the air and
sun Within few years, ii method has
been discovered of rendering the red ex
ccediugiy brilliant, and approaching TO
purple. 1t ulso forms first llul for seve
raj other shades oi color, aud. besides, has
oIIa,c been successfully used by painters,
and is lnnnd 10 yield IA iuc rose color.
Madder also possesses the singular pro.
perry Of imparlins its red color to the
bones of those animals which have used il !
for food and also to the milk ol cows, II
they have eaten Of i! freely.
"All the parts of the p ant contain
yellow coluring matter, which by absorp-
ton of oxygen, becomes red /; the root is
however, III Isl productive in This colorinS
matter and is !he only part employed III
diving. 1t is distinguished into three parts
the bark, the middle portion, and the
interior wooden fibre. The bark contains
The same culDrlnS mattcr aS Tue TOOL, nut
mixed with much brown extracilvc mai.
Ter. which degradcs The hue. The bark
may he separated in the milling, Tor i, is
more rcdiIy ground. aud may thus be
removed by The seivc. Ia the middle
parI of The rorl, which contains The finest
coIuring malrer, and lhat in the largest
quantity, there may be distinguished by
the microscope great many shining rod
particles, dispersed among the fibres.
These constitute the rich dying material. |
These Gbres contain brown substance,
similar 10 what is found in the bark. The
roots appear in commerce, dried and iG
powder. They are also sold fresh in
which state they yield finer colors, dye
more, aud give up heir coloring matter
with one third less water. According TO