Use the same as for cloth.

2695. Feathers (Blue).

Every shade may be given by indigo--or dip in silk dye.

2696. Feathers (Crimson).

Dip in acetate of alumina mordant, then in a boiling-hot decoction of Brazil-wood--and, last of all, pa.s.s through a bath of cudbear.

2697. Feathers (Pink, or Rose-colour).

Pink, or rose-colour, is given by safflower and lemon juice.

2698. Feathers (Deep Red).

Proceed as for crimson, omitting the cudbear bath.

[THE FAT MAN KNOWETH NOT WHAT THE LEAN THINK.]

2699. Feathers (Yellow).

Mordant with acetate of alumina, and dip in a bath of turmeric or weld.

2700. Hair (Black).

As the object in view is simply to dye the hair without tingeing the skin, the following will be found the best:--Take equal parts of litharge and lime; mix well, and form into a paste with water, if a black is desired; with milk if brown. Clean the head with a small tooth comb, and then well wash the hair with soda and water to free it from grease; then lay on the paste pretty thick, and cover the head with oilskin or a cabbage-leaf, after which go to bed. Next morning the powder should be carefully brushed away, and the hair oiled.

2701. Leather (Black).

Use No. iv. _black stain_ (see par. 1430), and polish with oil.

2702. Gloves (Nankeen).

Steep saffron in boiling-hot soft water for about twelve hours; sew up the tops of the gloves, to prevent the dye staining the insides, wet them over with a sponge dipped in the liquid. A teacupful of dye will do a pair of gloves.

2703. Gloves (Purple).

Boil four ounces of logwood and two ounces of roche alum in three pints of soft water till half wasted; strain, and let it cool. Sew up the tops, go over the outsides with a brush or sponge twice; then rub off the loose dye with a coa.r.s.e cloth. Beat up the white of an egg, and rub it over the leather with a sponge. Vinegar will remove the stain from the hands.

2704. Silk (Black).

The same as for cloth, but black dyeing is difficult.

2705. Silk (Blue).

i. Wash quite clean, rinse well, and then dip in a hot solution of sulphate of iron: after a short time take it out and rinse again.

Have ready in another vessel a hot solution of prussiate of potash, to which a small quant.i.ty of sulphuric acid has been added. Dip the silk in this liquid; on removal rinse in clean water, and expose to the air to dry.

ii. Wash well, rinse, wring out, and then dip in the following:--Boil a pound of indigo, two pounds of woad, and three ounces of alum, in a gallon of water. When the silk is of a proper colour, remove, rinse, and dry.

2706. Silk (Carnation).

Boil two gallons of wheat and an ounce of alum in four gallons of water; strain through a fine sieve; dissolve half a pound more of alum and white tartar; add three pounds of madder, then put in the silk at a moderate heat.

2707. Silk (Crimson).

Take about a spoonful of cudbear, put it into a small pan, pour boiling water upon it; stir and let it stand a few minutes, then put in the silk, and turn it over in a short time, and when the colour is full enough, take it out; but if it should require more violet or crimson, add a spoonful or two of purple archil to some warm water; steep, and dry it within doors. It must be mangled, and ought to be pressed.

2708. Silk (Lilac).

For every pound of silk, take one and a half pounds of archil, mix it well with the liquor; make it boil for a quarter of an hour, dip the silk quickly, then let it cool, and wash it in river water, and a fine half violet, or lilac, more or less full, will be obtained.

2709. Silk (Madder Red).

Use the dye for cloth.

2710. Silk (Yellow).

Take clear wheat bran liquor fifteen pounds, in which dissolve three quarters of a pound of alum; boil the silk in this for two hours, and afterwards take half a pound of weld, and boil it till the colour is good. Nitre used with alum and water in the first boiling fixes the colour.

2711. Wool (Blue).

Boil in a decoction of logwood and sulphate or acetate of copper.

2712. Wool (Brown).

Steep in an infusion of green walnut-peels.