CROTALARIA 



JUNCEA 



San-hemp 



THE SAN-HEMP PLANT 



and wonderful garden." " When the flowers are collected the real work of ex- 

 tracting saffron commences. The flowers are dried in the sun, and the three 

 long stigmata are picked out by the hand. The stigma has a red orange tip, and 

 this tip forms the shahi zdfran, the first-quality saffron. The long white base of 

 the stigma also makes saffron, but it is of inferior quality to the tips. The saffron 



Collection. thus collected in a dry condition is known to the trade as mongla, and fetches 



one rupee per tola. When the mongla saffron has been extracted the sun-dried 

 flowers are beaten lightly with sticks and winnowed. Then the whole mass is 

 thrown into water, when the petals swim and the essential parts of the flower 

 sink. The parts which have sunk (niwal) are collected, and the parts which have 

 risen to the top are dried and again beaten with sticks and then plunged into 

 water. The process is repeated three times, and each time the niwal becomes 



Grades. poorer. One form of adulteration is to mix niwal of the third stage with niwal 



of the first process. The saffron obtained in this way is lighter in colour and of 

 fainter scent than the mongla, and is known to the trade as lacha and sells at 

 twelve annas per tola. The saffron when made is sent to Amritsar and other 

 trade centres by registered post." It has often been suggested that the cultiva- 

 tion might be extended to other parts of India. [Cf. Journ. Agri-Hort. Soc. Ind., 

 1899, 1054-60 ; Planter, April 21, 1900 ; etc.] 



Uses. The principal use of saffron is as a DYE and as a colouring material for cheese, 



Dye. puddings, etc. It is too expensive to be extensively employed in India, but is 



in request at princely marriages, and for the caste markings of the wealthy. Its 

 supposed medicinal properties are discredited, its position being an element in 

 " black magic." [Cf. Hertodt, Crocologia, 1670, 274-8.] As an auspicious 



Food. colour its use survives in the " Saffron Cakes " of many parts of Europe. For 



full particulars of the economic and domestic uses consult the Pharmacographia 

 of Fluckiger and Hanburyand the Pharmacographia Indica (iii., 45361). Indian 

 cheap substitutes are Cm-timiinim and Xyctnnthc*. 



Trade. Trade. The foreign imports of saffron into India amounted in 1899-1900 to 



29,974 lb., valued at Rs. 5,43,038 ; in 1903-4 to 38,141 Ib. at Rs. 6,05,208 ; and in 

 1906-7 to 43,727 lb. at Rs. 6,27,333. Almost the whole traffic is from France to 

 Bombay. A small quantity is re-exported to Hongkong and Arabian ports. 

 The total amount in 1906-7 was 6,234 lb., valued at Rs. 61,702. No particulars 

 of the Trans-frontier supply are given in the official publication of the trade of 

 British India by land routes. 



D.E.P., CROTALARIA JUNCEA, Linn. ; Kheede, Hort. Mai, 1689, 



ii., 595-613. ix., 47, t. 26 ; Burmann, Ties. Zeijl, 1737, 82 ; Rumphius, Herb. Ami, 

 San-hemp. ]750, v., 279, t. 96, f . 1 ; C. bengalensis and juncea, LamL Encycl, 1786, 

 ii., 196 ; C. juncea. Linn., in Roxb., Corom. PI, 1798, ii., t. 193 ; Bot. Mag., 

 1799, t. 490; Roxb., Trans. Soc. Arts, 1804, xxii., 369 etseq.; 1806, xxiv., 149 

 et seq. ; Carey, As. Res., 1808, x., 11-4 ; Fl. Br. Ind., ii., 79 ; LEGUMINOS.E. 

 History. History. The later Sanskrit authors allude to the sana fibre in such terms 



as to leave no doubt that a fibre of that name has very possibly been known 

 in India from the most ancient times. Jones (Select. Ind. PI. in As. Res., 

 Names. 1795, iv., 296-7) says that the " threads, called pavitraca, from their sup- 



posed purity, have been made of sana from time immemorial ; they are men- 

 tioned hi the laws of Manu." But the confusion that to-day is associated with 

 the English word " hemp," it is feared similarly prevailed for many ages with 

 the name sana. The account already given of the true hemp (Cannabis sativa, 

 pp. 249-56) should, therefore, be consul ted, as also that on jute (Corchorus capsularis, 

 pp. 409- 11), and the observations recorded contrasted with the present description 

 of the san or sunn fibre. A very extensive series of vernacular names might be 

 given as denoting this plant, such as san, sanai, sani, sanbu, shanal, shanambo, 

 sanvu, sonalla, tag, ausa, suild, junab, jenappa or janapa (shanapam), chanam, 

 wucku and hana or sana. It was customary in India, in ancient times, and in 

 fact is so to-day, to distinguish the various forms of san or pat by qualifying 

 appellations. Thus, for example, the present plant (to distinguish it from the 

 true hemp) is called phul-sunn, bhdgd-sunn, bdddl-sunn, arjha-san, san-tdg, or 

 chunpdt, the last name separating it from jute. The names ambddi or ambdri 

 usually denote Hibiscus cannabinu*, but pdtsan, mestapdt are intended to 

 separate that fibrous plant and its fibre from Crotninrin and Corehoru*. Sunn- 

 or saw-hemp is the commercial name of the present fibre, but it is also known as 



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