Peach leaves, or bark scraped from the barberry bush, colors a common
bright yellow. In all these cases, a little piece of alum does no
harm, and may help to fix the color. Ribbons, gauze handkerchiefs, &c.
are colored well in this way, especially if they be stiffened by a bit
of gum-Arabic, dropped in while the stuff is steeping.
The purple paper, which comes on loaf sugar, boiled in cider, or
vinegar, with a small bit of alum, makes a fine purple slate color.
Done in iron.
White maple bark makes a good light-brown slate color. This should
be boiled in water, set with alum. The color is reckoned better when
boiled in brass, instead of iron.
The purple slate and the brown slate are suitable colors for
stockings; and it is an economical plan, after they have been mended
and cut down, so that they will no longer look decent, to color old
stockings, and make them up for children.
A pailful of lye, with a piece of copperas half as big as a hen's egg
boiled in it, will color a fine nankin color, which will never wash
out. This is very useful for the linings of bed-quilts, comforters,
&c. Old faded gowns, colored in this way, may be made into good
petticoats.
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