Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 145 



Cratsegus tomentosa, Linn& 



South-Eastern States of North- America. Reaching a height of 

 20 feet. Fruit edible. The list of American Hawthorns is probably 

 not yet exhausted by the species mentioned ; all afford honey. Two 

 species, C. rivularis (Nuttall) and C. Douglasii (Lindley), occur in 

 California and Oregon. 



Crepis biennis, 



Europe, Western-Asia. Bosc regards this plant as useful for 

 winter-pastures in cool climes, it keeping well green. The flowers 

 afford food for bees. 



Crithmum maritimum, 



The real Samphire. Sea-shores of Western and Southern Europe, 

 North-Africa and the Orient. A perennial herb. Settlers on the 

 coast might readily disseminate and naturalise it. It is held to be 

 one of the best plants for pickles, the young leaves being selected for 

 that purpose. 



Crocus sativus, C. Bauhin. 



The Dye-Saffron. South-Eastern Europe and the Orient. The 

 stigmata of this particular Crocus constitute the costly dye-substance. 

 The best is collected from the flowers as they daily open in succes- 

 sion. The plant yields its product for three or four years. Spain 

 produces annually from 200,000 to 300,000 Ibs. of Saffron. To 

 produce a well-scented Saffron rich in dye the culture should be in a 

 very mild clime, not very wet and on deep permeable soil. For the 

 colouration of some kinds of eatables and table-liquids indispensable ; 

 also of particular medicinal value. Price at the collecting places 

 about 2 per pound. The article is often largely adulterated before 

 it is put on the market [Queenslander]. At an early stage of colo- 

 nization it would not be profitable to grow saffron commercially; but 

 as the plant is well adapted for many extra-tropical countries or for 

 high elevations within the tropics, it might be planted out into 

 various unoccupied mountain-localities with a final view to naturalise 

 it, and to thus render it available from native sources at a later 

 period. It has additional claims on account of its prettiness. Noted 

 as a bee-plant even by the ancients [Muenter], In Norway it is 

 grown as far north as lat. 67 56'. Likes calcareous light soil. C. 

 Pallasii (Bieberstein) is a variety. 



Crocus serotinus, Salisbury. (C. odorus, Bivona.) 



South-Europe. This species also produces saffron rich in pigment, 

 so do C. Nevadensis (Amo and Campo) in Spain at 6,000 feet, also 

 in Algeria, Tunis and Morocco ; C. Fleischeri (J. Gay) in Asia 

 Minor ; C. hiemalis (Boissier and Blanche) in Palestine and Syria ; 

 C. vitellinus (Wahlenberg) in Syria. Palestine, Taurus [C. Sprenger], 



