Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-20

long. wooden case, the bottom perforated
with holes, and covered with WOODEN
blanket. The liquor passes through 'Iis
filter; and the operation is compie.eo py
! subjecting the residue to the action 1l q
press, forming it into cake, winch :, Is
afterwards cut, by wire, INTO smaller
square blocks. These are laid out on
frames in the shade to dry, and are then
left for several weeks in drying mouse
before being packed.
All this looks like rather tedious pr
cess, but then, it pays well; and the labor
is really not much greater than in many
| less profitable branches of agriculture.
History tells us that in the early part OF
the present century the southern part OF
the United States exported every, year
about 134, 900 pounds of indigo, which was
then worth sixty-two cents per pound. Up
to the time of the late rebellion, 1t was
cultivated in Florida and South Carolina,
where the yield was sixty pounds to the
acre, and the crop required attention only
| from July to October. Rather more profit
able than oranges, one would think,
because not so easily affected by the vary
ing seasons.
Though India is the native home of the
indigo plant proper, (the iadlcan OF the
ancients), it seems to flourish about as well
in Egypt Europe, the West Indies, Brazil,
Mexico and Central America. Though
Bengal produces, on an average, nine
million pounds Of it every year, that made
in Nicaragua is regarded commercially as
its equal, lacking only energy and push
on the part Of the Central Americans to
drive its PARKWAY rival entirely out Of the
markets of the western world
The history of indigo is interesting.
Without doubt it is the Oldest dye stuff in
use, for it was old in India when imported
thence into Italy early as the eleventh
century. With the establishment of direct
trade with India by sea, supplies of it were
more easily obtained in Europe; and after
the discovery of America similar product
was brought from the New World. Fran
cisco Hernandez speaks of its use in Mexico
by the early Aztecs, the pigment being
called by them F2euohua6 or neohuihi. In
the beginning of the seventeenth century
the importations of indigo from the East
Indies assumed great Importance, especially
in Holland. In 1871 there was brought
over in seven vessels no less than 333, 545
pounds of it. Its introduction caused
great complaint among the Germans, be-
cause it suspended the indigenous woad.
So the Diet of 1877 prohibited it alto
gether, and it was denounced under the
name of ''deyifs-eye," as a "pernicious, de-
ceitful and corrosive substance" The
people of Nuremberg, who largely culti-
waited woad, enacted law compelling all
the dyers to take an oath every year not
to use indigo in any manner, shape or
form, and they were still obliged to do 50
long after the dye was in universal use
elsewhere
The French Government also prohibited
the use of indigo in the province of Lam
guedoc in 1898, and the law was long in
force. A similar cutlery was raised against
it in England in the time of Elizabeth,
and in 1881 it was condemned by Act of
Parliament, and persons were authorized to
search for and destroy it, and logwood also,
in every dye-house, the law remaining in
force full century.
FANNIE B. WARD.