Dying of silk, cotton, &c. [page] 403
you would have your colour ; then alum and rinse your silk in fair water ; this done, work it in the kettle with madder, till you find it answer your purpose.
Another.
Put into a kettle of hot water a handful of madder; stir it together, and let it stand a little ; then take the woollen stuff; wet it first; then let it run over the winch into the kettle, turning it constantly ; if you see it dees not make the colour high enough, add a handful more of madder, rinsing the stuff or silk sometimes, to see whether it is to your liking. Then put some black colour into the kettle ; mix it well together ; and when hot, turn your silks or stuffs with the winch, and dye it either of a blacker hue, by adding more black, or a redder, by putting in less.
Of Madder, and its Use in dying of Silk, Worsted, Cotton, S(c. Madder, is a red colour, the best grows in Holland, though the colour of that which grows in Flanders exceeds it ; each sort of madder is marked with a particular mark, to know what country it comes from. The only sign of the real goodness of madder, is the bright colour, which, when ground to a fine powder, and put on a blue or brown paper, sticks to it : it must be kept close from the air, otherwise it will lose the strength and beauty of its co-lour.
The madder which comes from Silesia, under the name of Breslaw red, resembles more a red earth than a root ; ithas not so bright a colour as that whhich comes from Holland. To manure and cultivate the ground for the growth of madder, it must be observed, that it requires a good mould, which is neither too damp nor dry ; it must be plowed