SEEDS AND FSVITS. 311 



almost sessile on the bulb ; the pistil is about four inches 

 long, surmounted by thi-ee clavate-crested stigmas ; in these 

 the coloring matter residra. These stigmas are picked out 

 of tlie flowers, and about twelve thousand of these are 

 required to obtain a single ounce of Saffron. Crocin, or 

 Saii-aniu, is the important constituent; it is a red, amor- 

 phous substance, soluble in water and alcohol. Saffron is 

 used as a spice, and also medicinally. It is used for color- 

 ing cheese, liquors, confectionaries, etc 



306. Anthemk nohilis, Chamomile, is a European 

 herb, of the Composite family. It is a prostrate, woolly 

 plant, with compound leaves, the leaflets cut into linear or 

 subulate segments. The involucre is hemispherical; the 

 ray flowere are numerous and white. The plant has a 

 strong and agreeable odor, and a bitter, aromatic taste. It 

 is cultivated for the flowers, which have tonic and anody- 

 nous qualities, and for the oil which is extracted from it. 



SEEDS AND FRUITS. 



307. The Almond, Amygdahis cmmnunU (family Rosa- 

 ced), is a native of the Caucasus, and has been long in 

 cultivation. It is a low, spreading tree, with lanceolate- 

 serrate leaves. The flowers are sessUe, in pairs, and pre- 

 cede the leaves in the spring. The seed consists of two 

 cotyledons and a caulicle, surrounded by a hard pericarp. 

 In the Bitter Almonds 1.6-3 per cent, of Amygdalin is con- 

 tained, a bitter, crystaUizable substance; besides this, oil 

 (thirty-five to forty per cent), sugar, gum, albuminoids, 

 cellulose, acetic acid, and coloring matter are contained in 

 both Bitter and Siceef Almonds. The oil is light yellow, with 

 a specific gravity of .92. The purer sorts of almonds are 

 used in the manufecture of oil, which is used for flavoring 



