THIS Turnsole is so call'd, because it is such as gives a Tincture or Dye to Rags that are dipp'd in it. What is commonly sold in the Shops, is nothin but old Rags, or old Linen, dipp'd either in the Juice of the blood-red Grape, or that of Mulberries, and so dried in the Sun: But this is a Cheat, or an Abuse of the first Design; for the true Turnsole ought to be dipp'd in the Juice of the Berry of the Herb call'd Turnsole. This Plant which we call Turnsole, the Greeks call Heliotropion, the Sun Follower, because its Flower always turn to the Sun. It bears Beries always three set together, not much unlike the Palma christi; whence it is call'd by Pliny, Heliotropium Tricoccum, the Turnsole with three Berries, which, when they are at their full Maturity, have within them, between the outward Skin and the Kernel or Seed, a certain Juice, or Moisture, which being rubbed upon Paper or Cloth, at first appears of a fresh and lively green colour, but presently changes into a kind of bluith Purple upon the Paper or Cloth; and the same Cloth afterwards wet in Water or white Wine and wrung forth,k will strike the said Water or wine into a red or Claret-wine Colour. And thefe are the Rags of Cloth which are the true Turnsole, and ought to be sold in the Druggists Shops, wherewith People colour Gellies, Conserves, Tinctures, &c. as they please. But the chief Use of these stain'd Rags is to colour Gellies or Tasts, or such like Things, which are frequent at Feafts and Entertainments; as also to colour all sorts of Tinctures, Spirits, and the like, that are void of Colour.
Of the Turnsole Rags From Lyons.
That of Lyons is compos'd as the other, of Perelle, quick Lime, and Urine, to which some add a Tincture of Brafil Wood, in order to give it a finer Gloss, and to make it of a deeper red. This is made frequently about Lyons and in Auvergne, it being much deeper colour'd; so that, when rubb'd upon Paper, the colour is very lively.
The Isatis domestica, five glastum, or the Latifolium of Tournefort, in English, the broad leav'd Woad, orDyers Weed, is a Plant that bears its Stalks three Foot high, as thick as the little Finger, round, hard, smooth, reddish, divided towards the top into abundance of Branches, cloth'd with a great number of Leaves dispos'd without Order, that are oblong and large as those of Hounds-toungue, without Hair, of a deep green Colour, and sometimes tending to a Seagreen. The Branches are furnished with a great many little Flowers compos'd of four yellow Leaves like a Cross, ty'd by a slender Foot or Stalk. When the Fowers are gone there arife in their Places little blackish Furit, divided into Tongues, flat on the Sides containing each two oblong Seeds. The root is about a Foot and a half or two Foot long, an Inch thick at the Top, and growing smaller by degrees downwards, white and woody. they are cultivated in the hot Countries, but particularly in Languedoc, near Thouloufe. The Taste is bitter and astringent. It yields abundance of Oil, and fixed Salt. There is made of this Plant a dry's Paste, in the Nature of an Extract, which is call'd Pastel, or Indian Flower, which is call'd Pastel, or Indian Flower, which they sometimes colour with Indigo, for the Dyers. This Plant is vulnerary, drying, afringenet. Some People aply it to the Wrist, after stamping it, to cure an Ague or intermitting Fever, in the Shaking or cold Fit.
The Rbus, or Sumach, is a Shurb which grows formetimes the Height of a Tree. The Leaves are longish, large, indented on their Sides, and reddish. The Flowers dispos'd in Bunches, of a white Colour, each of which makes a little Rose of several Leaves; which being gone, there succeeds a flat Capsula, or Husk, that is almost oval, memberanous, and red, containing in it a Seed of the same Figure, which resembles in some degree a Lentil, of a reddish Colour. The Fruit has an acid astringent Taste. this sumach grows in stony laces, and is used sometimes instead of Salt to season Provisions with; form whence it is call'd Rbus culinaria, or Kitchen sumach. The Tanners make use of the Leaves to tan Skins, thence it is call'd Rbus coriaria, Tanners or Curriers sumach. The Leaves and Fruit ae both us'd in Physic; they are very astringent, proper in the Dysentery, menstrual Courses, and Hemorrhoids, to stop Gonorrhoea's, and the like, being us'd in a Decoction, or in Powder.
Turnsol, or Turnsole in Rags, is made of Linen Cloth died at conftantinople, with Cochineal and some Acids. the Cotton Turnsole, cal'd Portugal or Spanish Wool, is made from Cotton that is flatted the Size of a Crown, and dyed in spain or Portugal, with Mastich cochineal. Both Sorts are made use of to colour Liquors, Fruits, and Gellies.
There is another kind of Turnsole that is made with Rags dipp'd in a red Tincture, prepared with the Juice of the Berry, and a little acid Liquor. It comes from Holland, Languedoc, &c. and is us'd to tinge Wines of a red Colour.
The Turnsole in Paste, or in Cake, or stone Turnsole, call'd likewise orseil, is a dry'd Paste made up with the Fruit Perelle, quick Lime and Urine; the colour o the Paste will be blue. The Dyers use that which comes from Holland, and they make it at Lyons, but is is not to good.