ANNOTTO, in commerce, a kind of red dye, brought from the West-Indies. This is otherwise denominated arnatto. It is procured from the pulp of the seed capsules of a shrub called achiotte and mown ; the bixa orellana of Linnxus, which grows seven oreight feet high, and produces oblong hairy pods, somewhat re sembling those of a chesnut. Within each of these are thirty or forty irregularly figured seeds, which are enveloped in a pulp of a bright red colour and itiipleasant smell, somewhat resembling the paint illy called red lead when mixed up with oil ; and it was used as paint by some of the Indians, in the same manner as woad was used by the ancient 13ritons. The seeds, together with the red tough matter that surrounds them, are softened in a wooden trough with water, until, by a kind of fer mentation, which spreads a very nauseous smell, and by diligent stirring and pound ing, the kernels are separated from the pulp. This mass is then strained through a seive, and boiled ; and upon which a thick reddish scum, which is the pigment, separates. When skimmed off, it is care fully inspissated in another kettle ; and after being repeatedly cool, is moulded in roundish lumps, wiapt round with leaves of trees, and packed for sale. It seems to partak.e of the nature of vegeta ble albuminous matter. The method of extracting- the pulp, and preparing it for market, is simply by- boiling the seeds in clear water, till they are perfectly extri cated ; after which the seeds are taken out, and the water left undisturbed for the pulp to subside. It is then drained offi and the sediment distributed into shallow vessels, and dried generally in the shade.
The annotto is now only prepared by the Spaniards. The English had formerly a manufacture at St. Angelo, now ruined. This drug is preferred by the dyers to indigo, and sold one-fourth dearer. The double Gloucester cheese is coloured with this dye, not with marygolds. Some of the Dutch farmers use it to give a rich colour to their butter, andgreat quantities are said to be applied to the same purpose in the English dairies. The poor people use it instead of saffron ; and it is some times mixed as an ingredient in chocolate, during the grinding of the cocoa, in the quantity of about two drams to the pound, in order to give it a reddish colour; but the opinion of its being an earth has brought it into disrepute, and this use of it has been discontinued. To water it gives on ly a pale brownish yellow colour, and is not soluble in that liquid, nor in spirit of wine ; but, in order to be fit for dyeing, it requires an alkalite menstruum,to which it gives a bright orange colour; and hence it is useful as an ingredient in varnishes and. lacquers, and in dying WaX of a ver million colOur. Wool and silk, boiled in a solution of it hy alkaline salts in water, acquire a deep, but not a durable orange dye ; for though it is not changed by alum or acids it is discharged by soaps, and de stroyed 'by exposure to the air. It is said to be an antidote tothe poisonous juice of manihot, or cassada. The liquid, sold un der the name of " Scott's nankeen dye," seems to be nothing but annotto dissolved in alkaline ley.