The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1901-01-17
THE INDIGO PLANT.
How the Beautiful Dye Is Obtain ed
by Indian Natives.

How the Beautiful Dye Is Obtain ed
by Indian Natives.
Indigo. the most beautiful and expen.
sive Of all dyes in common use, has
ever been closely related to India, as
its name implies.
From India the ancient Greeks and
Romans drew supplies Of the blue dye,
and, although 1t was lost to Europe
during the greater part of the middle
ages, enormous quantities have been
imported for commercial purposes dur
Ing the last 100 years.
Indigo Is cultivated all over India,
giving employment to millions Of ma
tives and thousands Of foreigners. In
three districts alone in Behar where
some Of the finest indigo is grown. Eu-
ropean capital IL invested to the ex-
tent of no less than $25,OOO,OOO. Some
10000 acres are under cultivation.
There are 100 Englishmen managing
and working on the concerns" az the
factories and plantations are always
called, and 1,5OO.O natives.
An indigo concern may occupy any
where between 1000 and 10000 acres,
each cultivated acre producing on an
average about Is to 20 pounds Of indi-
60.
The plant grows to height Of be-
tween three and five feet. 1t is in the
leaves that the color yielding matter
chiefly resides. they being at their full
est at the time when the flower buds
are about to bloom, but the leaf, Of a
yellowish green color, gives no indica.
tion Of containing anything which will
yield blue coloring matter.
Toward the end Of June. or as soon
as the monsoon has set in, the crop Ia
cut, and the work of manufacturing
called "morhum mahal." lasts general.
ly to the middle Of August. BY this
time the stems which have been cut
have shot up again. and In September
a second crop is taken from the same
plants. Sometimes three crops are
taken in one season.
In most concerns the simple. primI
tive processes of manufacture are still
adhered to. for planters and old hands
are strong believers In the original true
blue and will have nothing to do with
newfangled ideas and chemical admix.
lures.
Every day the vats in which the
plants are steeped-the first process OF
manufacture-are cleaned out by COO
lies The plant Is stacked upright to al
low air to escape and Is kept In posi-.
ton by long pieces Of bamboo. Then
water Is run into the vat. which, how.
ever. Is not quite filled. since the plant
expands. exerting an enormous pres
sure that might easily crack the watts
sides.
The plant takes long while to 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 Ii now run Off Into lower ol
"beating" vats, and the extracted
plant, or "seet." is taken out. to be
subsequently employed to fertilize new
crops. The running liquid varies In
color from bright orange to olive green
1t Is necessary that II shall be kept In
a state Of violent agitation.
The froth is at first blue. then white
and soon disappears. The liquid. after
passing through various color changes
turns from green to dark. rich indigo
blue. The Overseer. to test whether
the beating process is sufficient. takes
little liquid and pours It on to plate
II the grain. or "fecula." readily set
ties, leaving a clear fluid. the beaters
jump from the vat or the wheel Ii stop
ped.
After beating the fecula Is allowed
to settle for two or three hours. and
then the water is run of. The grain Ii
collected, passed through various
strainers. whence II flows Into well
and Is elevated by a steam injector te
an iron tank. IL Is now boiled to pre-.
vent any further fermentation. and
then the hot, concentrated stuff IL run
through strainers on TO filter table.
The resulting pulpy paste. not unlike
colored whipped cream. is pressed and
cut Into small cakes. each stamped
with the mark OF the factory. the date
and the number OF the days boiling,
The cakes are put away TO dry on BAN.
boo shelves. being carefully busted and
turned every few days until ready for
packing. -Paqrsaa.x us>Sazlne-