MEADOW SAFFRON. 377 



more uniform and certain in its effects ; and some 

 physicians now give the preference to the flowers, 

 and others to the seeds : so that every part of the 

 plant seems possessed of powerfid properties, and 

 on this account all experiments should be left in tlie 

 hands of able physicians. Dr. Stork of Vienna 

 seems to have the credit of havino; restored this 

 plant to the modern list of Materia IVIedica. 



The poisonous properties of this plant seem known 

 to all animals^ as it were by instinct, since no cattle 

 will touch it ; the very Iambs fly at its aspect, and 

 the young shepherdesses of the mountains become 

 sorrowful when it appears amongst the grass, lest 

 their playful flock should inadvertently swallow it. 

 It is no uncommon thing to see these plants stand- 

 ing alone in pastures, where every other kind of 

 herbage has been eaten down without a leaf of this 

 plant being touched. The French give this plant 

 the appalling name of Tuer Chien, Kill Dog, and 

 Mart au Chien, which also signifies Dog's Death. 



In floral language this flower expresses " ]\Iy 

 best days are past ;" for, far from inspiring us, like 

 the Crocus, with joy and hope, it appears to an* 

 nounce to all nature the loss of the fine days, and 

 the approach of a cheerless atmosphere. It appears 

 naked like a sprite amongst flowers, to warn them 

 of their destiny ; and nature seems to have reversed 

 its order in some of the characters of this curious 



