GREEN
Green results from the mixing of blue and yellow in varying
proportions according to the shade of colour required.
Every dyer has his particular yellow weed with which he greens his
blue dyed stuff. But the best greens are undoubtedly got from weld and
fustic.
The wool is first dyed in the blue vat; then washed and dried; then
after mordanting, dyed in the yellow bath. This method is not
arbitrary as some dyers consider a better green is got by dyeing it
yellow before the blue. But the first method produces the fastest and
brightest greens as the aluming after the blue vat clears the wool of
the loose particles of indigo and seems to fix the colour.
If a bright yellow green is wanted, then mordant with alum after the
indigo bath; if olive green, then mordant with chrome.
The wool can be dyed blue for green in three different ways:--1st in
the Indigo vat, 2nd with Indigo Extract with Alum mordant, 3rd with
logwood with Chrome mordant. For a good bright green, dye the wool a
rather light blue, then wash and dry; Mordant with alum, green it with
a good yellow dye, such as weld or fustic, varying the proportion of
each according to the shade of green required. Heather tips, dyer's
broom, dock roots, poplar leaves, saw wort are also good yellows for
dyeing green. If Indigo Extract is used for the blue, fustic is the
best yellow for greening, its colour is less affected by the sulphuric
acid than other yellows.
According to _Bancroft_, Quercitron is the yellow above all others for
dyeing greens. He says:--"The most beautiful Saxon greens may be
produced very cheaply and expeditiously by combining the lively yellow
which results from Quercitron bark, murio sulphate of tin and alum,
with the blue afforded by Indigo when dissolved in sulphuric acid, as
for dyeing the Saxon Blue."
"For a full bodied green" he says "6 or 8 lbs. of powdered bark should
be put into a dyeing vessel for every 100 lbs. wool, with a similar
quantity of water: When it begins to boil, 6 lbs. murio-sulphate of
tin should be added (with the usual precaution) and a few minutes
afterwards 4 lbs. alum: these having boiled 5 or 6 minutes, cold water
should be added, and then as much sulphate of Indigo as needed for the
shade of green to be dyed, stirring thoroughly. The wool is then put
into the liquor and stirred briskly for half an hour. It is best to
keep the water just at the boiling point."
RECIPES FOR DYEING GREEN
(1) GREEN WITH QUERCITRON FOR WOOL
Dye the wool blue in the indigo vat, wash well. For 100 parts of wool
put 3 of chalk and 10 or 12 of alum. Boil wool in this 1 hour. Then to
same bath add 10 to 12 parts quercitron and continue boiling for 15
minutes, then add 1 part of chalk, this addition is repeated at
intervals of 6 to 8 minutes till a fine green is brought out.
(2) WITH INDIGO EXTRACT AND WELD FOR WOOL
Mordant 1 lb. wool with 4 ozs. alum and 1/2 oz. cream of tartar. Dye
blue with sufficiency of indigo extract, wash and dry. Prepare a dye
bath with weld which has been previously chopped up and boiled. Enter
wool and boil for half an hour or more.
(3) GREEN FOR WOOL
Mordant with alum and cream of tartar, add to the mordanting bath a
little weld or fustic. Dye with 6 ozs. fustic (or weld). Dye in a
separate bath with indigo extract, a rather bluer green than is
wanted. Then put into a yellow bath till the right shade of green is
got.
(4) GRASS GREEN
For 1 lb. wool: 1-1/2 oz. alum, 1/2 oz. sulphuric acid, 1/2 oz. salt,
1/4 oz. Tin crystals. Dissolve tin in separate saucepan and mix half
of it with 1/4 oz. Flavin, add both to the bath together with indigo
extract (1/2 tablespoonful). When hot enter yarn and boil hard for 1
to 1-1/2 hours. It turns a green when exposed to air. Wash very
thoroughly.
(5) JADE GREEN (1 lb.)
Mordant with 1/3 oz. Cream of Tartar and 4 oz. Alum for 1/2 hour. Take
out wool and air. Cool bath a little and add half the amount of the
indigo extract to be used (according to shade of green required,
1/2 oz. indigo extract makes a good colour). Enter wool and stir
rapidly for 5 minutes or so without boiling. Take out wool. Mix in the
rest of the indigo extract. Enter wool and boil for 10 minutes. Take
out wool. Throw away a quarter of the water and add some with 3/4 oz.
fustic extract. Enter wool and boil for 1/2 hour to an hour.