YELLOW DYES. 401 



places on the Continent. Saffron is a drug well 

 known in pharmacy, is employed as a colouring 

 tincture, and likewise in some peculiar culinary pre- 

 parations. 



The plant which produces saffron is the crocus 

 sativus. It is cultivated in England as well as in 

 France and Spain. English saffron is most esteemed, 

 but it is not grown here in sufficient quantities for 

 our own supply ; we therefore import some from 

 France and Spain. In 1830, about 3,500 pounds 

 weight were brought into England for home con- 

 sumption ; it is admitted at a duty of Is. per lb., its 

 price varying from 20s. to 30s. for that quantity. 



The crocus sativus has a bulbous root about 

 the size of a small nutmeg, a little compressed at 

 bottom, and covered with a brown netted skin. The 

 flowers issue from the upper part of the root, and, 

 together with the young leaves whose tops just 

 appear, are closely wrapped about by a thin spatha 

 or sheath, which parts within the ground and opens 

 on one side. The tube of the flower is very long, 

 arising immediately from the bulb without any foot- 

 stalk, and at the top dividing into six equal oval 

 obtuse segments of a purple colour. The germen, 

 situated at the bottom of the tube, supports a 

 slender style, which rises to half the length of the 

 petal, and is crowned with three oblong golden 

 stigmata, spreading asunder each way. Three 

 stamina rise to the height of the style and are termi- 

 nated by arrow-pointed summits. This plant flowers 

 in October, but it never produces any seeds in this 

 country ; the leaves continue to grow throughout 

 the winter. The only valuable parts of the flower 

 are the stigmata, which when dryed are called 

 saffron.' A saffron ground is seldom above three 

 acres or less than one in extent. It should be well 

 exposed, and neither a poor soil nor a stiff clay, 



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