To Dye Blue

Fill your crucible three parts full of soft water, and put it on a slow

fire, at the same time put in your blue ingredients, previously

prepared, (this is done by dissolving the powdered blue in oil of

vitriol and water in a stopper bottle for twenty-four hours). If there

is a very light shade of blue required, put in a couple of

table-spoonfuls of the blue ingredient, and add to it as the shade may

be varied at will a cording to the quantity of the stuff; boil the

hackles in tartar and alum, say a table-spoonful of each, or rather less

of the tartar, simmer it on the fire for two or three hours according to

the process mentioned before; and when the proper colour is produced

take out the hackles, hair, or fur, and wash them well in soap and hot

water.



There is a paste blue prepared at the dry-salters all ready for the dye

pot, take a table-spoonful of it and stir it well up in your pot nearly

full of soft water, and boil it gently for about an hour (or less), then

put in your hackles or hair, previously washed and wet going in, boil

for two hours very slowly and wash off the dye; any shade of blue may be

had in a very short time by this process; there are two or three

dry-salters in Long Acre where this paste blue is sold, and any of the

other ingredients may be purchased at their shops, or at chymists.