838 



PRACTICE OF GARDENING. 



Past III. 



Subsect. 5. Crocus. — Crocus, L. Trian. Monog. L. and Iridea, B. P. Safran, Fr. • 

 Safran, Ger. ; and Zaffarano, Ital. 



6285. The bulb of the crocus is round, solid, and compressed, with a netted skin, from 

 the centre of which arise four or five grass-like leaves, and one or two flowers. Out of 

 the centre of the tube of the flower arises a slender style, crowned by a broad flat stigma 

 of a gold color. After the flower is past, the germ, which hitherto was seated on the 

 bulb at the base of the tube, pushes 

 out of the ground, and ripens its seeds ; 

 a singular economy in nature, and which 

 occurs only in the colchicum, and a few 

 other plants. All the known species 

 of this genus may be considered as 

 florists' flowers. Many botanists, indeed, 

 reckon only two species, the C. vermis, 

 or spring-blowing crocus ; and the 

 C. sativus, the saffron, or autumn 

 crocus. 



From the Crocvs remits (Eng. Bot. 343. and our Jjg. 



596.), they consider that the C. versicolor {Jig. 597.), 



the C -bijlorus {Jig. 598. a), the C susiana (b), the 



C. sulphureus (c), and the C mesianus (d and e), with 



their numerous subvarieties, have been produced by 



culture or locality 

 From the Crocus sativus, or saffron-crocus {Eng. Bat. 343. 



and our Jig. 599. a), they think it likely that the 



C. serotinus {fig. 599. b) and the C. nudiflorus (fig. 



599. c) have been also originated by cultivation or 



accident. 



6286. All tlie sorts of crocus have been, time out of mind, and still are, great ornaments 

 to the garden ; the spring sorts coming into flower in February and March, and the 

 autumn sorts in September and October. The color of the spring crocus in its wild 

 state, in Switzerland, is white with a purple base ; it is considered as naturalised in Eng- 

 land, but, when found wild, is almost always of a yellow color. The autumn crocus, 

 or saffron, is also found wild in some places, and considered as naturalised ; but it ap- 

 pears to be an African plant, which its Arabic name, sa/iafaran, seems to justify, and 

 introduced originally in Edward the Third's time. Its color is generally purple or blue, 

 as is that of most of the autumn varieties in cultivation at present. 



6287. Varieties. None of these are double. Of the spring crocus, Parkinson has 

 enumerated twenty-seven varieties ; the fundamental colors of which are blue, purple, 

 yellow, and white. Miller recites twelve as leading sorts. Mason's catalogue for 1820 

 mentions "twenty named sorts," besides the light, dark, and striped purple, cloth of 

 gold, the Scotch crocus beautifully striped, the white, the large and small yellow, and 

 several striped sorts. The Dutch are continually producing new varieties, as are some 

 florists in this country, of which Haworth (Hort. Trans, i. 122.) may be cited as an in- 

 stance. Of the autumn crocus, Parkinson has enumerated four, and Ray six varieties. 

 Miller has only four : the sweet -smelling, of a deep blue ; the mountain, of a paler blue ; 

 the many-flowering, bluish; and the small -flowering. Most of these varieties are now 

 lost. 



6288. Criterion of a good crocus. Clear or brilliant colors, and each color distinctly 

 marked and finely pencilled in the striped and variegated sorts. 



6289. Propagation. By seed, for new varieties ; and by offset-bulbs, for common 



