CROCUS DAFFODIL. 281 



The Saffron Crocus lias a lilac blossom. The stamens form 

 the saffron of commerce. The plant used to be cultivated to a 

 great extent in the neighbourhood of Saffron Waldon, thereby 

 giving the name to the place. Women were employed to gather 

 the flowers just before they were ready to expand ; they then 

 carried them home and took out the stamens. An acre of 

 ground produced two pounds of dried saffron the first year, and 

 twelre during the two second years ; after that the bulbs 

 required to be renewed. The saffron is no longer used in 

 dyeing, as the colour so soon fades. It is still an ingredient in 

 confectionary, especially on the Continent and in Turkey ; and 

 it is employed in medicine, but the demand for it being less, 

 the article is very little, if at all, cultivated in England. 



The Purple Spring Crocus (C. vernus), resembles the Saf- 

 fron, but instead of golden stigmas it has them of a pale 

 lemon colour. It flowers in March. My specimen was sent 

 from Norfolk. 



Edward has the Naked-flowered Crocus from Warwickshire. 

 There are meadows about Warwick that are quite gay with its 

 lilac blossoms in October ; and, late though it be, the leaves 

 are still later in appearing than the flowers. 



I believe the Gladioli of our gardens belong to this tribe, 

 as do also the useful plants which produce the Ginger, common 

 Arrowroot, and Tous-les-mois of commerce. 



The AMARYLLIS order succeeds that of the Iris. In this order 

 the flowers have three petals, and three coloured sepals ; their 

 stamens are generally six in number. Beautiful as are the 

 flowers of this tribe, the roots of many of them contain 

 dangerous poisons. In some species this poisonous quality can 

 be dissipated by heat, and then the farinaceous substance 

 which remains forms wholesome food for animals or man. The 

 arrowroot of Chili is an example of this. 



The first family in the tribe is the Narcissus family. 

 / The common Daffodil, or Lent Lily, is by rights a Narcissus I 

 /(Narcissus pseudo-narcissus, Plate XVI., jig, 7). I have/ 



