SAFFRON-PLANT 



641 



proportion of calcareous matter, and in a position well exposed 



to air and sunshine. The flowers bloom in September ; they are 



gathered as soon as they open, and the 



pistils are picked off with the hand. 



The cultivation and preparation of 



Saffron require an enormous amount of 



manual labour, and, consequently, the 



plant is very little grown for economic 



purposes in gardens. 



USES. The pistils, when dried, are 

 used for flavouring and colouring certain 

 dishes. Saffron, being expensive in pro- 

 portion to its purity, is often adulterated 

 with Turmeric, which is obtained by 

 pulverising old roots of Curcuma longa* 

 an East Indian plant of the Zingiberacece 



Saffron-plant ( natural size). 



or Ginger family, and is of a deep yellow colour, with a slightly 

 peppery and aromatic flavour. 



SAGE 

 Salvia officinalis, L. Labiates. 



French, Sauge officinale. German, Edel-Salbei. Flemish and Dutch, Salie. 

 Italian and Spanish, Salvia. Portuguese^ Molho. 



Native of South Europe. Perennial. A plant with an almost 



woody stem, at least at 

 the base, and forming 

 broad tufts seldom more 

 than 14 to 1 6 in. high. 

 Leaves very pale green, 

 oval, toothed, very finely 

 reticulated, and wrinkled ; 

 lower leaves narrowed 

 into a stalk, upper or 

 stem-leaves narrow and 

 long pointed ; flowers in 

 heads of three or four, in 

 terminal clusters, usually- 

 bluish lilac, sometimes 

 white or pink ; seeds 

 nearly spherical, and of 

 a blackish brown colour. 

 Their germinating power 

 J lasts for three years. 



CULTURE --The 



Sage-plant is as easily 



Sage G natural size). grown as Thyme. The 



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