250. Mixture for Dyeing Common Reds

250.    Mixture for Dyeing Common Reds. Make a strong decoction by boiling 1 pound limawood or brazilwood to each gal-on of water. Let the wood settle; decant the liquor, and let it stand to cool for 24 hours; decant the clear liquor and add 1/2 pint plumb spirits (see No. 111 (Plumb Spirit)) to every gallon of liquor; after standing a few hours it is ready for use.

251. Common Crimson

251.    Common Crimson. Put some of the common red mixture (see No. 250 (Mixture for Dyeing Common Reds)) into a copper or stoneware vessel, and work the goods in it for 1/2 an hour; then wash out thoroughly, wring and dry.

252. Common Scarlet

252.    Common Scarlet. Dye an annotto orange (see No. 159 (Annotto Orange)), then dye a common crimson according to the last receipt.

253. Ruby, Maroon, etc.

253.    Ruby, Maroon, etc.. Take 1 pound cudbear, and boil in a bag for 15 minutes; and work the silk in this for 1/2 an hour.

For a bluish tint, lift, and add 3 fluid ounces liquid ammonia; work 10 minutes, wring and dry.

For a red tint, lift, and instead of the ammonia, add 2 fluid ounces red spirits (see No. 108 (Red Spirits)); work 10 minutes, wring and dry.

For a brownish hue, make a decoction of 1 pound cudbear and 4 ounces fustic; work for 1/2 an hour; lift, and add 2 ounces red spirits ; work for 10 minutes and finish.

For a deep violet hue, proceed as in the last receipt, using 4 ounces logwood instead of the fustic.

254. Sky Blue

254.    Sky Blue. To 1 pint sulphate of indigo add 2 or 3 gallons boiling water; steep in this a piece of woolen cloth, such as an old blanket, for a day; take it out and wash in cold water.

If the sky blue is required to be light, warm some water in a vessel to about 98° Fahr., steep the woolen cloth in it for a few minutes, and wring out; this will leave sufficient blue in the water to dye the silk; add 1 ounce alum in solution, and work the silk in it for 20 minutes; wring out and dry.

255. Dark Blue

255.    Dark Blue. If a deep blue be required, blue the water as before with the woolen cloth, add 1 ounce pearlash; then add 1 ounce alum in solution, with a few drops of sulphuric acid; then work the silk in it as before.

Half an ounce of indigo extract (see No. 99 (To make Indigo Extract)) may be used for bluing the water, instead of using the woolen cloth for that purpose. The exact quantity of indigo extract depends on the shade of blue required.

256. Sky Blue Dye for Silks

256.    Sky Blue Dye for Silks. For 5 pounds of silk goods, add to a sufficient quantity of Water to work the goods 1/2 pint of nitrate of iron; work in this for 20 minutes, then wash out in cold water. Into another vessel of cold water add 3 ounces ferrocyanide of potassium in solution, and 1 fluid ounce of strong sulphuric acid; work through this for 10 minutes, then wash in cold water with 1 ounce of alum dissolved in it, and finish.