w 



316 T7je Ufeful Family HerhaL 



tures : Perhaps without any great Foundation* 

 An Infufion of it, taken inwardly, works by Urine, 

 and is very good againfl the Gravel, and in the 

 Jaundice. 



r 



Saffron. 



CROCUS. 



A Very pretty Plant, of the fame Kind with 

 ■"" what are called Crocus's in our Gardens. 

 It is planted in Fields, in fome Parts oi England ^ 

 and yields a very profitable Kind of Produce. 



The Flowers of this Plant appear in Autumn, but 

 the Leaves not till fometime after they are fallen. 

 Thcfc Flowers liave, properly Ipeaking, no Stalk j 

 they rife immediately from the Root, which is 

 roundifh, and as big as a large Nutnieg, and they 

 ftand a little Way above theSurface of the Ground j 

 they are of a purpliih Blue, and very large, the 

 lower Part is covered with a ikinny Hulk. In the 

 Center of thefe ftand three Stamina, or Threads, 

 with yellow Tops, which are ufelefs, but in the 

 Midft between thcfe rifes up what is called the 

 Piftii of the Flower. This is the Rudiment of 



the future Seed-veiTel, it is oblong and whitilh, 



and at its Top feparates into three Filaments; 



thefe are long, and of an Orange fcarlet Colour ; 

 thefe three Filaments are the only Part of the 

 Plant that is ufed, they are what we call Saffron. 

 They are carefully taken out of the Flower and 

 preffed into Cakes, which Cakes we fee under the 



