Carthamus, Safflower, or Bastard Saffron. Watery menstrua take up the yellow, and leave the red colour, which may afterwards be extracted by alcohol, or by a weak solution of alkali; such particularly are the saffron coloured flowers of carthamus. These, after the yellow matter has been extracted by water, are said to give a tincture to ley, from which, on standing at rest for some time, a deep red fecula subsides, called Safflower; and from the countries whence it is commonly brought to us, Spanish red and China lake. The pigment impregnates alcohol with a beautiful red tincture, but communicates no colour to water. Rouge is prepared from carthamus. For this purpose the red colour is extracted by a solution of the sub-carbonate of soda, and precipitated by lemon juice, previously depurated by standing. This precipitate is dried on earthen plates, mixed with French chalk, reduced to a powder by means of the leaves of shave grass, triturated with it till they are both very fine, and then sifted. The fineness of the powder, and proportion of the precipitate, constitute the difference between the finer and the cheaper rouge. It is likewise spread very thin upon saucers, and sold in that state for dying.

Carthamus is used for dying silk of a poppy, cherry, rose, or bright orange red.