SAFFRON: ITS HISTORY, CULTIVATION AND USES. 7 i 



Saffron with which silk is coloured, moistening it with clear of egg without water 

 and when it has stood a night, on the following day cover with a pencil the places 

 you wish to gild, the rest holding the place of silver." Book I. C. 23, Hendrie's 

 Translation. 



In connection with the subject of the dyeing and colouring powers of Saffron, 

 the following analysis of the Saffron of commerce may be of interest. 



According to Aschoff's analysis Saffron consists of 



98.8 



Analysis by Bouillon-Lagrange and Vogel — 



Volatile oil, including Stearoptine 7.5 per cent. 



Wax 0.5 



Saffranine (Polychlorite) 65,0 



Gum 6,s 



Fibre IOi o 



Albumen 0.5 



Water I0 .o 



So that the actual colouring matter forms more than half the weight of good 

 commercial Saffron. 



Rochleder (T. pr. Chem. LXXIV. 1) regards it as being identical with the 

 colouring matter of the pods of Gardenia grandiflora. 



Lindley (Veg. King. p. 160) states that polychlorite possesses the properties of 

 being totally destroyed by the action of the solar rays; of colouring in small 

 quantity a large body of water; and of forming blue and green tints when treated 

 with sulphuric and nitric acids, or with sulphate of iron. 



Saffron when burnt left 8.9 per cent of ash containing Potash, Soda, Lime, 

 Magnesia, and Chlorine; and Phosphoric, Silicic, and Carbonic acids. 



Perera states that one grain of good Saffron contains the Stigmata of nine 

 flowers, so that one ounce would represent the produce of four thousand three 

 hundred and twenty flowers. 



Monsieur P. Chappellier of Paris, has been experimenting on the increased 



