\x 



ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORDS CROCUS AND SAFFRON. 



That one or more kinds of Crocus were grown in Italy as garden flowers appears 

 from Varro de R. R. i, 35, 1 : — 



Inter Vergiliarum occasum, et brumam, hac fieri oportcre dicunt. Se/rre lilium et crocuin. 



and from Columella de R. R. 3, 8, 4 : — 



Florentesque hortos myrrha et croco. 

 Pliny 2i, 6 (17) tells us that the Corycian Saffron was still the best: Prima 

 ■nobilitas Cilicio et ibi in Coryco monte, dein Lyrics Olympo, mox Centuripino Sicilies, 

 that its cultivation in Italy did not answer, severe in Italia minime expedit, that it 

 was much adulterated, and various other details. It is noticeable that in a 

 preceding chapter, 21, 5 (11) he uses the word Crocus to signify the yellow styles 

 and stamens of other flowers. 



HARRISON AND SONS, PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HER MAJESTY, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, LONDON. 



