To Restore Scarlet Cloth.

Scientific American 6, 9.2.1861

Scarlet facings of military uniforms can be partially restored thus: Boil a quarter of a pound of powdered cochineal in a pint of water down to half a pint, then strain the decoction, and repear the process with fresh water, but the same cochineal, twice; reducing by this means the whole quantity to a pint and a half of red liquor, to which, whem so hot that the hand can be just borne in it, add one ounce of muriate of tin, to enchance the brilliancy of the color and give it a tendency to fix in the cloth. To restore the faded cloth, the dye must be applied with a sponge; but, at best, this is but an indifferent remedy, as, to get a fine color, the cloth must be boiled in the liquor itself; and this, of course, involves tailor's work over again. It is probable that the aniline and rosealine made by Messrs. Perkins, of River terrace, Islington, London, will be found very useful for this purpose. The extent to which the rosealine is used may be judged of by the numerous red stockings worn in winter, all of which are dyed with roseanline.
- Septimus Piesse.