152 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



subtile nature, bright and swocte smelling." Hill, in bis " Herbal," declares that 

 " the whole compass of medicine does not afford a nobler cordial or sudorifick ;" and 

 Gerardo says that, though it causes headache and hurts the brain if' taken in largo 

 quantities, its moderate use is good for the head, maketh the senses more quick and 

 lively, merry and less sleepy, strengthening the heart and lungs, and being " especial 

 good" for consumption, "even if the patient be at death's door." For yellow jaundice 

 Le commends it according to the doctrine of signatures, and for " plasters to sores," 

 adding that it is much used in illuminating and other painting. It is now very littlo 

 used in medicine, except as a colouring matter for mixtures and powders. 



Among the ancients in the west, as well as in the east, the Crocus was highly prized, 

 whether in its fresh state for strewing the floors of apartments, or as saffron for 

 twenty different purposes. Homer mentions it with the lotus and hyacinth ; Pliny 

 devotes a chapter to its treatment and propagation ; and Horace particularises the 

 "Coryeian saffron," which was esteemed the best in the world. The Romans applied 

 the essential oil to the skin as a cosmetic, as well as to the hair, and largely used it 

 for the purpose of scenting and refreshing theatres and other places of assembly. 

 For this purpose it was powdered and steeped in water or -wine ; the liquid was then 

 shot, by means of a kind of syringe with extremely fine pores, over the whole multi- 

 tude, so that it fell in drops so fine as to resemble an almost impalpable dust. In the 

 talcs of the "Arabian Nights," saffron cakes abound even more plentifully than they 

 did in former days in the hospitalities of our English housewives. The monopoly of 

 all saffron grown in the disti-ict is still retained by the Rajah of Cashmere, and the 

 cultivators are compelled to sell it to him at a stated price ; the whole crop being 

 compulsorily carried to the town of Cashmere before the prized stigmas are extracted. 

 Hakluyt states that the cultivation of saffron was introduced into England in the 

 reign of Edward III. by a pilgi'Lm, who, being a native of Walden in Essex, brought 

 a bulb of the precious Crocus to his native place. This was done " with venture of 

 his life, for if he had been taken, by the law of the country from whence he came he 

 had died for the fact." In order to bestow this benefit on his native district, he had 

 hollowed out his palmer's staff so as to conceal within it the precious plant. From 

 this circumstance the name Saffron Walden seems to have originated, and it is 

 singular that saffron is gi-own in that district to the exclusion of almost all others in 

 England. During Lent saffron was at one time largely used in cookeiy, it is said for 

 the purpose of keeping up the " animal spirits," which long- continued fasting con- 

 siderably affected. Camden, when writing of Saffron Walden, says that the fields 

 under saffron cultivation look " very pleasant," and, " what is more to be admired, 

 that the ground which hath bore saffron three years together, will bear barley very 

 plentifully eighteen years without dunging, and afterwards be fit eno' for saffron." 



The " Roman Catholic Flora," in mentioning the particular flower to bo laid at the 

 shrine of every saint according to the season of the year, says that 



" The Crocus blows before the shrine 

 At vernal dawn of St. Valentine." 



Hence it is often called " Flower of St. Valentine," or " Hymen's torch," a name 

 prettily appropriate to the flaming glow of the golden yellow Crocus, which, according 

 to Roman mythology, was once a youth pming to death for his love, and was meta- 

 morphosed into a Crocus. According to others, it first sprang from some drops of 

 magic hquor which Medea prepared to restore the aged jSlson to tho strength and 

 vigour of youth. 



