The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1901-01-10
Tho Indigo Plant.

Indigo, the most beautiful and expe
sive OF oil dyes in common nee. hes ev'
been closely related TO I1dis, as Its nam
implies.
From India the ancient Greeks m
Romans drew supplies OF the blue dy,
and although it was Lost TO Europe dt
ing the greater part OF the middle ages
enormous quantities have been importe
for commercial purposes during the la,
100 years.
Indigo is cultivated oil over India. 81
iDg employment to millions oi natives an
thousands OF foreigners. Ia three di
tricls alone In Behsr, where some OF th
finest indigo is grown, European capita
is invested 10 the extent OF no Less thai
S25, 900. 000 Some 100000 acres are nj
der cultivation. There srs 100 Eoglisl
men msnsging aud working on the "coI
cerns," as the factories and plsntst on
are always called, and 500, 900 natives.
An indigo concern may sccupy sn,
where between 1000 and 10000 acres
each cultivated sore producing on 81
average about 10 to 20 pounds Of in di 20
The plant grows TO u height OF between
three and FIVE feet. 1t 10 10 the leave,
that the color yielding matter chiefly r,
sides, they being d their fullest Ut the
time when the flower buds are about Il
bloom, but the leaf. Of . yellowish green
color. gives no indication OF containing
anything which will yield blue colorine
matter.
Toward the end Of June, or as soon ss
the monsoon hes set ip, the crop is cut,
and the work OF manufacturing. called
'morbum mshsi." lasts generally until
the middle OF August BY this time the
stems which have been cut hsve shot up
again, and In Septembers second crop is
taken from the same plant', Som metimes
three crops ere taken 10 one season,
10 most concerns the simpls. primitive
processes OF manufacture are still sdher
ed TO. for planters and old hands sre
strcng believers iD the original true blue
and will have nothing TO do with new
tangled ideas and chemical sdmixtures,
Every dsy the vsts IN which the plants
are stepped the first process OF manu-
iscture ARE olesned out by coolies. The
plant is stacked upright TO allow sir TO es
cspe snd is kept IN position by long
pieces OF bsmoo. Then water is run into
the vst, which however, is not quite flled.
since the plant expands eXertins an enor
nous pressure that might easily crack the
ysts sides.
The plant takes long while 10 soak. -
The leaves are not easily wetted.
When the plants have been stepped for
about ten hours The color yielding matter
will have been extracted. The liquid 10
,ow roo of into lower or "besting, vsts,
md the extracted plant. or sect, 10 taken
out, to be subseq qusntly employed TO ierti
iz,!new crops, The RAINING liquid varies
10 color from bright orange TO olive green
Il is necessary thst II shall be kept 10 .
tate Of violent sgitstion.
The iroib i, Of fret biue. then white,
mi toon di appesrs. The liquid, alter
passing through vsrions color changes.
.urns from green to dark, rich Indigo
,lus. Tie ovfrseer TO test whether The
,estiug process ia sufficient. takes little
iqnid snd pouis il on plate. II The
rain. or 'ieculs readily settles, leaving
clear 6uit, The bsssers Jump from the
.. or the wheel il stopped.
After bestits the feculs 10 SLOWED 10
ettls for two r three honrs. aud then
be water is run tf The grain 10 collect
d, psssed through ysrions strsiners.
thence IL fovs into . we'll and 10 eisyst
ID by steam Injector TO % iron tank.
/ ls nov boilsd 10 preven, any farther
ermentsilon. sd hen the bot. cepcen
rated sitf IS run through strsines 90
o hllsf table.
The resuI3ips pnlpy paste. 20. unlike
clofed shipped cream. Is pressed and
q, into smsii c.E,s, each stsDped With
be marx Of the fac ory. the date and
be unnbsr q The days boiling. The
stes are pat sssy to dry 90 bamboo
telves. beiog csrefoliy dastsd and turn
eysry isa days until ready Tor psck
,g