6+ THE GENUS CROCUS. 



the sixteenth century. The following is a condensed summary. He commences 

 by extolling the quality of English Saffron grown about Saffron Walden, (sometimes 

 called Waldenburg,) where it was first planted in the reign of Edward the Third 

 It was also grown in Gloucestershire and those western parts. The cultivators of 

 Saffron are spoken of as Crokers. _ _ 



"The heads (corms) of Saffron are raised in Julie, either with plough raising, 

 or lined hooke, and being severed from their rosse or filth, and severed from such 

 heads as are engendered of them sine the last setting, they are interred again in 

 Julie and August by ranks or rowes, and being covered with moulds they rest in 

 the earth, where they cast forth little fillets and small roots like unto a scallion 

 untill September, in the beginning of which moneth the ground is pared, and all 

 the weeds and grasse that growith upon the same removed to the intent that 

 nothing may annoie the floure when as his time dooth come to rise. These things 

 being & thus ordered in the latter end of the aforesaid moneth of September, the 

 floure beginneth to appeare of a whitish blew, and hath in the middest thereof 

 three chives verie red and pleasant to behold." 



"These floures are gathered in the morning before the rising of the sonne, 

 and the chives being gathered from the floures, are dried upon little killes covered 

 with streened canvasses upon the fire: whereby and by the weight that is laid 

 upon them, they are dried and pressed into cakes. In good yeeres we gather four 

 score or an hundred of wet Saffron of an acre which being dried dooth yeeld 

 twentie pounds of drie and more. The price of Saffron is commonlie about twentie 

 shillings in monie or not so little, it is easie to see what benefit is reaped by an 

 acre of this commodotie towards the charges of the seller, which indeed are great, 

 but yet not so great as he shall be thereby a looser if he be anie thing diligent. 

 For admit that the triple tillage of an acre dooth cost thirteen shillings four 

 pence before the Saffron be set, the clodding sixteen pence, the taking of every 

 load of stones from the same four pence, the raising of every quater of heads 

 six pence and so much for cleansing them, besides the rent of ten shillings for 

 everie acre thirtie load of doong which is worth sixpence the load to be laid on 

 the first yeare for the setting three and twentie shillings and foure pence, for the 

 parino- five shillings, sixpence for the picking of a pound wet &c. Yea though he 

 hire it readie set and paie ten pounds for the same, yet shall he sustain no damage, 

 if warm weather and open season doo happen at the gathering." 



"This also is to be noted that everie acre asketh twentie quarters of heads 

 placed in ranks two inches one from another in long beds which conteine eight 

 or ten foot in breadth, and after three yeeres that ground will serve well, and 

 without compost for barlie by the space of eighteene or twentie yeeres together. 

 The heads also of everie acre at the raising will store an acre and a halfe of 



