1.94 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



would not be so likely to shrink, as in the 

 warmer time of autumn ; and the culture 

 would be more easy, and readily freed from 

 weeds. Haller remarks, that the autumnal 

 saffron differs from the spring crocus, in hav- 

 ing the stigma divided into three long seg- 

 ments, the ends of which are also trifid. 

 These three horns of the stigma are odor- 

 ous and aromatic, which is not the case in 

 the vernal crocus ; and the flowers are much 

 larger. 



Dr. James says, in his Medical Dictionary, 

 " The best saffron in the world grows in 

 England, being cultivated in Essex, Suffolk, 

 and Cambridgeshire." The English saffron 

 was formerly highly extolled, but the impor- 

 tation of saffron has lessened its home cultiva- 

 tion. If this drug is valuable or necessary, it 

 must be of national importance that the pro- 

 pagation should be continued, for, if the cul- 

 ture be entirely dropped, it will not easily be 

 renewed, and it would, although in a small 

 degree, lessen the employ of the poor 

 labourer, which should in everv instance be 

 as much guarded against, as we would guard 

 against national confusion. 



As a medicine, saffron has ever been es- 

 teemed an elegant as well as a useful aro- 



