Carthamus tinctorius ; Osfour (the flowers) and Ortoum (the grain) ; 

 Safflower or False Saffron : Compositae. 



1: (a) Dakar (corresponding to thevar: typicus, of Schweinf.) 

 and (b) Nitaya (var : inermis. Schf.) ; The former is thorny and 

 the latter smooth or nearly so. However these two forms are never 

 grown separately. 



II : By seed ; better in drills at a distance apart of 4045 cm. 

 Often dropped in behind the plough, each alternate furrow being- 

 sown. Occasionally broadcasted. In the Basins and River banks it is 

 always sown broadcast. Grown alone 2 3 kelas per fdn. Grown 

 as a mixed crop from 1 1 1/2 kela always prefer thin sowing, the 

 plant being bushy. 



Ill : Last half in October to end of November earlier in Upper 

 than Lr. Egt. ' 



V : Picking of the flowers usually commences about the middle of 

 March and is fairly established towards the beginning of April. The 

 florets are picked in the early morning as far as they appear. The 

 picking generally continues till about April the 15. The seed is har- 

 vested in May. 50 55 rotolis of dry florets and 3 4 ardebs of seed, 

 are obtained per fedn. 



VI : Flowers contain 2 colouring matters one yellow (about 30 / 

 of the weight of the dry florets) soluble in water and useless; the other 

 red (less than 1 / ) insoluble in water but soluble in dilute alkaline 

 solutions such as a solution of sodium carbonate It is known as Car- 

 thamin or carthamic acid and principally used for dyeing silks of 

 the most beautiful dyes but very unstable Carthamin ground up with 

 starch, talc etc. is used as toilet rouge (Hosn yousscf). The raw 

 florets are used in native pickling, for colouring soups, ragouts, etc. 



The seed yields by cold pressure, a clear and light yellow esculent 

 oil extensively used locally for culinary purposes, as a salad oil etc, 

 and known under the name of Zeyt Helou. The seed contains about 

 30 32 / of the oil but with the native system of pressing not m;>re 

 than 50 rot. are obtained per ardeb of seed. The oil-cake is used lor 

 feeding stock. It is not of great feeding value containing much of the 

 seed husks. Poultry and other birds fatten on the seeds chiefly 

 given to Parrots The* seed is also used instead of rennet in native 



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