The Meadow Saffron. 191 



the beginning of summer, almost inert in autumn, we can under- 

 stand that while some have found it a corrosive poison, it has 

 been perfectly inert to others. Professor Murry gives many 

 instances in which it produced distressing and fatal effects ; 

 while on the other hand, an author by the name of Kratochville 

 asserts that both himself and others have eaten drachms of the 

 root in spring and fall with impunity ; and Orfila mentions hav- 

 ing given bulbs to dogs in the month of June, without any bad 

 effect resulting. 



The seeds of this plant are far preferable to every other part 

 for medicinal purposes, as their action, being equally efficacious, 

 is more mild and uniform ; two ounces of these are infused in a 

 pint of sherry wine, and from fifteen to forty drops of this given 

 once or twice a day, with a teaspoonful of magnesia, the whole 

 mixed with aromatic waters. 



The poisonous properties of this plant, continues Phillips, seem 

 known to all animals, as it were, by instinct, since no cattle will 

 touch it; the very lambs fly at its aspect, and the young shep- 

 herdesses of the mountains become sorrowful when it appears 

 amongst the grass, lest their playful flock should inadvertently 

 swallow it. It is no uncommon thing to see those plants stand 

 ing alone in pastures, where every other kind of herbage has been 

 eaten down, without a leaf of them being touched. The French 

 give it the appalling name of Kill Dog. In Floral language, this 

 flower expresses, my best days are past; for far from inspiring 

 us, like the crocus, with joy and hope, it appears to announce to 

 all nature the loss of the fine days, and the approach of a cheerless 

 atmosphere. It appears naked, like a sprite among flowers, to 

 warn them of their destiny ; and nature seems to have reversed 

 its order in some of the characters of this curious plant, which 

 cannot fail to interest the student of natural history and botany ; 

 and the closer they investigate the apparent phenomena of the 

 Colchicum, the more will they be struck with the wonderful 

 arrangements that the all wise Creator has adapted in the forma- 

 tion of vegetables which appear, on a superficial inspection, to 

 act by contrarieties, whilst their actions are governed by the most 

 consummate wisdom. Regarding the Colchicum in its native 

 English pastures, we shall find that its corolla is sent out of the 

 earth with its parts of fructification, at a season when they have 

 only time to mature their anthers, that the stigmas may receive 



