The quantity required of clean lye being poured off and strained, sheep dung, in the proportion of three ounces to a pint of lye, is dissolved in one half of it, and this solution is again strained. The other half of the lye is mixed with half its bulk of gingelly oil and half as much tsiky (the saponaceous water procured during and retained from former process, being, in fact, a solution of soap in water) ; the two liquors are then mixed together, and if things are favourable a milky scum arises.
The proportions required for say half a pound of yarn would be,—gingelly oil, half a pint by two pints ; tsiky (soapy liquor from former pro cess), a quarter of a pint ; sheep dung, two or three otinces.
The yarn having been thoroughly imbued with this mordant, is dried in the sun for some hours ; it is then again soaked and dried as before. The same night it is treated with an additional portion of mordant, is put into covered vessels, and allowed to remain till morning. If any mordant remain, the same process is again repeated.
Tho yarn is at night moistened with the lye first prepared, diluted with one-third of its bulk of water, and put into covered vessels. The yarn in drying, it should be remarked, should have the position constantly changed, to prevent the mordants or lye from accumulating in the lower part.
Next day the yarn is spread out to dry on the bamboo. It is taken in at night, and treated with lye. This alternate soaking or thorough moistening with lye at night and exposure during the day are continued without intermission till the yarn appears saturated with lye, or, in fact, till the oil is converted into soap. This, if the lye is sufficiently strong, may occupy five days. This is ascertained by washing a few inches from off the bundle in water holding some astringent in solution ; a whitish scum will arise, and it is from the feeling of this scum when worked between the hands, and the appearance of it afterwards, that they determine the state. The workman being satisfied of the completion of this process, the yarn is again moistened for one day, morning and evening, with much diluted lye or plain water. The yarn may be immediately washed, but the process is much improved by retaining it for some weeks, probably to allow the annualizing matter to get fixed. , Before washing it thoroughly, the yarn is washed in a small quantity of water, which, receiving the soapy particles in solution, is retained by the dyer under the denomination of talky. It gradu ally acquires some consistence and a disagreeable smell. The yarn is then washed in a tank till nothing of the mordant seemingly remains, but the smell mid a certain softness to the touch. Occasionally the whole process is again repeated.
The yarn being thus thoroughly impregnated with the mordant, a cold infusion of cassa leaves iu water is made, and after some hours the yarn is put into it and handled in such a manner as to expose every thread to its action. It is allowed to
remain therein all night. The quantity of leaf used in the infusion is so great that it resembles a paste.
Next morning the water is wrung out from the yarn, the adhering leaves are shaken off, and fresh ones with an equal quantity of chay root substituted ; for half a and of yarn a handful of each is sufficient. After two hours the yarn is laid in the liquor.
The same process is repeated on the third day ; by this time the yarn usually changes to a reddish yellow colour, with occasional red spots. A liquor in which to soak the yarn is now prepared of a handful of chay root in water.
On the fourth day the yarn will appear in the evening of a light red colour. It is to be treated in the same manner as on preceding days, and a similar liquor to the last-named is prepared for soaking it in at night.
On the fifth day the yarn is washed in a tank, and afterwards dried in the sun. As usual, for soaking it in at night, a liquor is prepared of pounded cassa leaves, mixed with gingelly oil sufficient to form a dry paste, of which about half an ounce is mixed in the usual portion of water ; after standing two hours, a handful of chay root is added, and the yarn immediately immersed for the night.
The mode of proceeding on the sixth day is pre cisely similar, but the liquor for the night is prepared wholly of chay root.
On the seventh day the yarn is again dried, etc. On this and the next day it is immersed in a liquor composed of equal parts of cassa leaves and chay root in water.
The yarn is now boiled in a liquor composed of that strained from it at the last night's process, with the addition of chay root, a handful for half a pound of yarn, and sufficient water to give room to agitate the yarn freely. The pot con taming the liquor is placed on the fire, which is kept up briskly till it begins to boil ; it is then kept simmering till a rose-coloured froth rises and covers the surface, when the fire is withdrawn, and the pot with its contents allowed to cool gradually. During the boiling the contents of the pot are stirred quickly, so as to expose the yarn as little as possible to the action of the air. When cold, the yarn is taken out and washed in a tank, beaten as usual, and dried in the sun ; its colour should be a bright and lively red. If it fail, it is occasionally brightened by steeping once more in a liquor composed with cassa leaves and chay root, the former being mixed first with a little gingelly oil. A temporary brilliancy is further given by putting it in a cold infusion of safar wood.—Rohde ; 111. E. J. R.; Slum:ands. See Dyes.