90

SAMPLES OF MANY DYE-WOODS—WEEDS—ROOTS, frc.

[Class IV.

37. Samak hark, from Singapore .

38. Lopisip bark, from the Celebes.

39. Benkita-bammg, produces a dark purple dye, fromBorneo.

40. Kayu Oobah, a red dye, from Labuan.

41. Kayu Samuck, from Labuan.

42. Saracundraputtah ( Cassia fistula), from Palain-cottah.

43. Puttungliu bark, sent from the Nizam’s country byCapt. Ogilvie.

44. Cherenjee bark, from the Nizam’s country, sent byCapt. Ooilvie.

45. Avaraputtai ( Cassia auriculata), from Palam-cottah.

Of many of these dyes, little or nothing more than thename is known, and the Jury, having no evidence as totheir use, are, therefore, wholly unable to express anyopinion as to their probable utility in this country. Theyconsider the series, however, as highly valuable and im-portant. Several of the dye-stuffs are evidently rich incolour; most of them may be easily had in large quanti-ties, and at comparatively low prices; they are, conse-quently, well worthy of the attention of practical dyers.

Specimens of gamboge, turmeric, myrobolans, and ayellow resinous substance resembling gamboge, calledGaju gum, are contributed from Ceylon.

A sample of lichen, or orchilla weed, from the Cape ofGood Hope , is exhibited by* C. Watermeyer (51, p.952).

A specimen of cam wood, from the confluence of therivers Niger and Tchadda, is shown by Dr, Me William(5a, pp. 953, 954); and some crude indigo from Abbro-kutu, is contributed by Dr. Beeciiam (12, p. 954).

In the collection from British Gaiana, there is but onedye or colouring material, namely, the “ Lana dye,” ex- :hibited by II. A. Kock (55 b, p. 930). This substance is Iobtained from the fruit of the Lana tree ( Genipa Ame-ricana, Linnseus), a tree very abundant throughout thecolony, particularly on the banks of the river Berbice ;the colour dyed with it is a good bluish black. Thecolours dyed with the fruit of this tree are remarkablypermanent, a fact which has very long been known,though hardly any attempt appears to have been made tointroduce it to the notice of European dyers. The Jurydeemed this specimen worthy of Honourable Mention.

Samples of fustic (Hints cotinus ); logwood ( Hematoxy - .Ion campechianum) ; and turmeric, are included in the :Trinidad collection of raw produce.

A promising specimen of lichen, or orchilla weed fromthe Falkland Islands ( Roccella fuciforviis), is exhibited byG. T. Whittington (p- 9S7). , |

The various dark-coloured resins of Australia havealready been alluded to; the colouring matters of thedifferent species of Xanthorhcea, though not remarkablybrilliant, are well worthy of notice. Very fine specimensof some of these resins are exhibited by the Colonization* .Assurance Corporation*. (See page 7G). j

Good samples of the Xanthorhcea resins are shown from .Flinders’ Island, by J. Milligan (81. p. 994).

A remarkable colouring material, called blood juice, the ;produce of a Norfolk Island tree, and said to be used for jdyeing calico, and as an indelible marking ink, is'con- ■tributed by Sir W. Denison (290, p. 997). The Jurydeemed this substance worthy of Honourable Mention.

Specimens of Hinau ( Elceocarpus lnnau), a bark usedin New* Zealand for dyeing black (5, p. 1001), are ex-hibited by McVay; these will be again referred to as atanning material. The flax and other substances shownin illustration of the use of this bark by the natives, indyeing black, are remarkable for the depth and brilliancyof the dye.

Lichen, or orchilla weed, from New Zealand , is contri-buted by J. A. Smith (14, p. 1001): this sample appearsto contain a good deal of colouring matter, and was, 'therefore, deemed worthy of Honourable Mention.

A very fine sample of Alkanet root ( Anchusatinctoria )is shown in the Austrian collections.

Specimens of Hungwa, or saffron; turmeric; and ared colour from China , are exhibited by Her Majesty’s ;Consul at Shanghac (p. 1418); samples of whi-mci, a

green dye ; and of the fruit of the Gardenia radicans ,used to dye yellow, are also shown.

In the Egyptian collection are specimens of indigo,saffron, and sumach.

The specimens of French madder, though not numerous,are of considerable interest and importance. A smallseries of samples of madder, and of garaiicine, as obtainedfrom madder for the use of the dyer, are exhibited bythe Chamber of Commerce at Avignon * (1049, p. 1229).The Jury awarded a Prize Medal for these specimens.

A good specimen of garancineis also shown by Lazareand Lacroix, of Avignon (905, p. 1223). This affords ahighly-interesting example of the practical application ofscience to the improvement of a natural product. Theexhibitors, finding their madder inferior to that grown inother localities, were led to institute a chemical examina-tion of the soil; it was found to be deficient in lime, anelement of all those soils in which the best madder isgrown; the land was accordingly well manured withlime, and the result was a marked improvement in thequality of the madder. The Jury awarded a Prize Medalfor this specimen.

Some excellent samples of orchil are exhibited by C.Mottkt (932, p. 1224). For these, also, the Juryawarded a Prize Medal.

Madder, of very superior quality, is likewise shown inthe Algerian Department of the French collection ; inparticular, the specimens of G. de Montiony, of St.Joseph, Oran (38, p. 12G1), who also shows a fair sampleof saffron, were deemed worthy of commendation, andthe Jury accordingly awarded a Prize Medal for them.

The samples of madder, exhibited by J. Piglia, ofConstantine (43, p. 1261), and of Dupre de St. Maur,of Orbul, Oran (23, p. 12G1), were likewise consideredvery good, and each worthy of Honourable Mention.

A fine specimen of saffron, contributed by De Lutzow(34, p. 1261), of Bonn , Constantine, was deemed worthyof Honourable Mention.

A good sample of “ woad,” the blue colouring matterprepared from the hath tinctoria, and which is probablyidentical in nature with indigo, is shown by Gikssler, ofTrochtclbom, near Erfurt (Zollv. 4698, p. 10S9). Thiswas deemed worthy of Honourable Mention.

Madder root, from Athens, is contributed by A. Mal-andrinus (3, p. 1400), and from Euboea , by G! Phillip-pos (4, p. 1401).

The colouring matter of safflower, prepared in a con-centrated form for the use of dyers, is exhibited by C.Jaeger (Prussia 469, p. 1078).

Extract of madder, said to be prepared by a new andcheap process, is shown by A. Schauknberg, of Neustre-litz (3, p. 1134).

A remarkable yellow resinous substance, somewhat re-sembling gamboge, and called pipitzahuac, but of whichno description is given, is contributed from Mexico .

In the Portuguese collection, several specimens of dye-ing materials are shown. The most important are a setof lichens, or orchilla weeds, namely, wood orchilla, fromAngola, St. Thomas, and Mozambique ; and rock orchillafrom Angola, Vinnando Minho, Cape Verde Islands , andfrom Madeira (505 to 508 b). These were deemed worthyof favourable notice.

Wood orchilla from the Ca"pe rock, and rock orchillafrom the Berlingues Islands, of good quality, are shownby F. R. Batalha (509 and 509a\ Some good samplesof sumach are exhibited by M. B. Ferreira, junior(510, p. 1313). These were deemed severally worthy ofHonourable Mention.

Two good samples of Russian madder are shown fromthe Government of Derbent. This important root isalready cultivated to a considerable extent in Russia , butnot nearly in sufficient quantity to meet the demand ; sothat large quantities are imported from Holland , andelsewhere, every year. The specimens shown, whichare of good qualitjq are exhibited by Kerim RaghimOgli, of Cubi (87, p. 1369), and by Babaieff Arakel(86, p. 1369). These were each deemed worthy of Ho-nourable Mention.

* Awarded also by Jury of Class II.

!