MADDER. See RUBIA.
Madder is a plant, the uses of which were well known to the ancients, both in respect to manufactures and physic. The Greek authors call this plant erythrodanum, from erythros, "red;" the Latins, on the same principle rubia; and it is styled rubia tinctorum, from the use made of it in dyeing. Dioscorides and Galen do not insist upon its tinging quality. But the former describes, and both so explain, its medicinal virtues, as to leave no doubt as to the plant. Pliny, who commonly agrees with Dioscorides, mentions both its uses, but in different books of his history. In respect to its medical qualities, they are followed by later authors; but the nature of the colour extracted from its roots was left to such as wrote the history of the arts. With their roots they dyed wool and leather; and from these and other parts of the plant they formed a variety of medicines, to which great virtues were attributed by their ablest physicians. They had it likewise both wild and cultivated, the best sort of the latter growing, in the time of Pliny, in the neighbourhood of Rome.
As madder is a very valuable commodity, so the raising and curing it in perfection is a work of much time, trouble, and expence, for all which it pays abundantly at last. The soil best suited to this plant is a soft sandy loam, which must be properly prepared by repeated and deep ploughings, so as to render it perfectly even and fine. The young shoots for the cultivated madder is not propagated by seed, but must be planted in the course of the month of April upon ridges at three feet distance, and the plants themselves at a foot and an half distance from each other. They remain three summers in the ground; and during that space are to be carefully hoed, kept clean from weeds, and properly earthed up. They are drawn about the month of September, and must be then conveyed immediately to the drying-house,
built like those used by the tanners for their skins, except that hurdles are used in them instead of floors, that the air may have free access to the roots every way. After remaining there four or five days, and the earth perfectly cleared from them, they are carried to the cold stove, where they are farther, but very slowly, dried by the help of flues placed in the sides of the building. This being done, the madder is carried next to the floor, where it is threshed from its bark or outward rind; which, however, is swept together, barrelled up, and is what the Dutch call mull, which sometimes sells for eight pounds a ton, and thereby commonly defrays the expence of drying. The roots thus cleared are then conveyed to the warm stove, where the drying is gradually completed. From thence they are sent to the mill, and there ground, sorted, and packed up in casks fit for sale. In these several operations, which must all be performed with much care and exactness, the commodity loses so much of its weight, that 700 or 800 of the green will seldom make more than 100 of the dry madder. The time, trouble, and expence attending the cultivation of madder in this method have induced some, particularly the French, to endeavour to find out some expedients to shorten the process, and by ridding themselves of stoves and mills to lessen the charge. It is certainly right to examine and to consider their attempts. But, on the other hand, there is, with all its prolixity and labour, something very worthy of attention in this mode of the Dutch. The dyers use madder in different ways and for different purposes, which are all suited by the several divisions of the madder, by which all is sold, each fetches its just price, and the dyers find some or other of these sorts adapted to every intention, which is a great and apparent convenience.
The Dutch are at present possessed of an almost absolute monopoly of this valuable commodity, the cultivation of which they were taught by the Flemings; who, persecuted for their religion, long since took shelter amongst them. In times past we imported madder by the way of Hamburg from Silesia, and also from Flanders; whereas we now have it only from Holland. This that people have brought about by their unwearied industry, their careful management, and indefatigable attention. It is in a particular manner the great staple of Zealand; where, in the small isle of Schouwen, they raise annually 1000 tons; for the curing of which there are about 20 stoves, each provided with a proper number of able workmen, by whom every thing is accurately and excellently performed at a settled and very moderate price, and under the most prudent and equitable regulations. When the work is finished, the madder, according to its fineness, is divided into several sorts; and, after being inspected by persons deputed by the magistrates, each sort is put up in casks with marks declaring its nature, and the arms of the town of Zierikzee painted on them, which authenticate their contents wherever they are exported. The assayers are sworn duly to respect the ordinances of Zealand, of which there are several, very explicit and well considered. The casks, besides the arms of the town, have the name of the stove, where made, and the quality of the madder, painted on them; and thus the credit and the reputation of the different parties are staked, which excites a constant attention and emulation.
Madder. ation amongst them. This plant is also cultivated not only in the other islands which compose that province, but likewise in different parts of the dominions of the United Provinces, from whence it is sent in immense quantities over all Europe.
In proportion as industry, arts, and commerce, came to prevail, and to be understood here, it was very clearly discerned that our dependance upon another nation, for an article so necessary to the progress of several manufactures, was pregnant with many inconveniences, besides the constant drain of money, not only for the benefit, but even at the will of strangers, who set what prices they pleased on what could not be wanted. In the reign of Charles I. a patent was granted to Mr Shipman the king's gardener for planting and curing of madder; which he did, and brought it to very great perfection, till, ruined by the confusion of the times, he was constrained to part with his stock, and give over the trade. We have this fact from Mr Blyth, who having been an officer in the parliament army became afterwards a great promoter of agriculture and all sorts of improvements, and is consequently a competent and unsuspected witness. He says, that Mr Shipman planted madder, and set up his works at Barn Elms, and that his commodity was highly commended by its only proper judges the dyers. It is evident therefore, that at this time we were possessed of this valuable article, which might have been soon had in plenty as well as in perfection. If this opportunity had been taken, and the cultivation of madder (as it might have been) universally introduced, it would be no difficult matter to demonstrate, that this nation might have been the richer for it by some millions.
It was again attempted by Sir Nicholas Crispe, a man of extraordinary abilities, and of great public spirit, as also by persons well skilled therein at Witsbech, who, notwithstanding many obstacles that were thrown in their way, would certainly have succeeded, had not the Dutch reduced, and for a time kept the price so low, that for want of support they were constrained to give up the making of madder. This had so bad an effect, that notwithstanding the growing of this plant for physical uses and for curiosity in many private gardens, no thoughts were entertained of cultivating it to a large extent, and for the purposes of dyeing, till within these few years. It then appeared so reasonable in itself, and of such public utility, that an act of parliament was obtained to facilitate the design, which act hath been since continued, and many other marks have been given of public approbation. Stat. 31 G. II. in the preamble, the great advantages that would attend the cultivation of madder are succinctly stated; and for promoting so important a design, the tythe of every acre on which it is planted is fixed at five shillings from August 2. 1758 for 14 years. Stat. 5. Geo. III. c. 18. after reciting, that the price of the commodity hath been raised, continues the tythe at five shillings an acre for 14 years farther from the expiration of the former act. The society also for the encouraging arts, manufactures, and commerce, have promised very considerable and well considered premiums for the encouraging this very expensive improvement, as also (which may be of no small importance) for the cultivation of our own wild madder. It
may be considered therefore at present as in a state of progression; and there is very little room to doubt, that, as experience in the management of it increases, this important enterprize will move faster, till it reaches the point of perfection.
It certainly imports us, both in honour and in interest, to prosecute this improvement, now it is begun, with vigour. We have all the advantages we can reasonably wish to prompt our endeavours, as we have a great variety of soils as fit for the cultivation of this plant as any in Zealand or Flanders, and are in no danger of being confined in point of room.
The root of madder impregnates water with a dull red colour, and spirit of wine with a deep bright red. This root, when eat by animals along with their food, tinges their urine, and their most solid bones, of a deep red. Wool previously boiled in a solution of alum and tartar, receives from a hot decoction of madder and tartar a very durable but not a very beautiful red colour. Mr Margraaf (Berlin Mem. 1771), shews how a very durable lake of a fine red colour, fit for the purposes of painting, may be obtained from madder. This process is as follows: Take two ounces of the purest Roman alum, and dissolve it in three French quarts of distilled water that has boiled, and in a clean glazed pot. Set the pot on the fire; and when the water begins to boil, withdraw it, and add two ounces of the best Dutch madder. Boil the mixture once or twice; then remove it from the fire, and filter it through a double filtre of paper not coloured. Let the liquor thus filtrated stand a night to settle, and pour off the clear liquor into the glazed pot previously well cleaned. Make the liquor hot, and add to it gradually a clear solution of salt of tartar in water, till all the madder is precipitated. Filtrate the mixture; and upon the red precipitate which remains upon the filter pour boiling distilled water, till the water no longer acquires a saline taste. The red lake is then to be gently dried. No other water, neither rain nor river water, produces so good a colour as that which has been distilled, and the quantity required of this is considerable. The colour of the above precipitate is deep; but if two parts of madder be used to one part of alum, the colour will be still deeper: one part of madder and four parts of alum produces a beautiful rose colour.