impregnated lime-water was gradually added, not only with a view to promote separation, but to prevent decomposition.  Browne remarks ("Civil and Nat.  Hist. of Jamaica,” art.  “Indigo"), the planters “must carefully distinguish the different stages of this part of the operation also, and attentively examine the appearance and color as the work advances,—­for the grain passes gradually from a greenish to a fine purple, which is the proper color when the liquor is sufficiently worked,—­too small a degree of agitation leaving the indigo green and coarse, while too vigorous an action brings it to be almost black.”  The liquor being then, as we shall suppose, properly worked, and granulation established, it was left undisturbed until the flakes settled at the bottom, when the liquor was drawn off, and the sediment (which is the indigo) placed in little bags to drain, after which it was carefully packed in small square boxes, and suffered to dry gradually in the shade.

Such is the account, nearly word for word, which Edwards gives of the mode of manufacturing indigo.  I shall now quote his remarks upon the outlay and gain upon the article verbatim.—­“To what has been said above of the nature of the plant suiting itself to every soil, and producing four cuttings in the year, if we add the cheapness of the buildings, apparatus, and labor, and the great value of the commodity, there will seem but little cause for wonder at the splendid accounts which are transmitted down to us concerning the great opulence of the first indigo-planters.  Allowing the produce of an acre to be 300 lbs., and the produce no more than 4s. per pound, the gross profit of only twenty acres will be L1,200, produced by the labor of only sixteen negroes, and on capital in land and buildings scarce deserving consideration.”  Yet, notwithstanding this statement, the author informs us afterwards that he knew, in the course of eighteen years’ residence in the West Indies, upwards of twenty persons who tried to re-establish indigo manufactories, but failed.  This appears strange, since it is plain that what has once been done can be done again, but especially in the manufacture of an article requiring a capital so very small in proportion to the profits as almost to tempt the most cautious and the most timid man to embark in it.

I quote the following passage from the same author, for the purpose of showing the very loose manner in which statements are made on the authority of others, who are as incompetent to decide the merits of a question as the party himself chronicling their opinion.  Speaking of the twenty unfortunate indigo-planters, our author thus writes:—­“Many of them were men of foresight, knowledge, and property.  That they failed is certain; but of the causes of their FAILURE I confess I can give no satisfactory account. I was told that disappointment trod close upon their heels at every stop.  At one time the fermentation was too long continued, at another