3*9 
The (garden of pie aj ant Elmers. 
Chat. LXXVI. 
Cnkm Jiuc CurtfiAmm fitiviu. Baftardor Spanifh Saffron; 
T Here arc two or three forts of Cn'tcus or baflard Saffrons whichIpafTeouer,as 
notfitfortliisGarden,andonelyTetdowncthiskinde, whofeflowers are of 
a fairer and more liuely colour in our Country, then any hath come ouer from 
Spaine, where they manure it for the profit they make thereof, feruing for the dying 
of Silke cfpccially ,and tranfporting great quantities to diuers Countries. It hath large' 
broad leaues, without any prickes at all vpon them in our Country, growing vpon the 
ftalke, which is ftrong, hard, and round , with Chortcr leaues thereon vpto the toppe* 
where they are a little fliarpe pointed, and prickly about the edges fometimes , which 
ftalke rifeth three dr foure foote high j and brancheth it felfc toward the toppe, bearing 
at the end of euery branch one great open fcaly head, out of which thrufteth out many 
goldyellowthreads,ofamoftorientfhining colour, which being gatheredina dry 
time, and kept dry, will abide in the fame delicate colour that it bare when tt was frefh, 
fora very long time after : when the flowers are paft, the feedewhen it is come to ma- 
turity, which is very feldome with vs, is white and hard, fomewhat long, round , and 
alittlecornercd:therooteislong,great, andwooddy, and perilheth quickly with 
thefirftfrofts. 
The Place. 
It groweth in Spaine, and other hot Countries, butnot wilde, for that it 
is accounted of the old Writers, Theophraftus and Diofcorides,to be a ma- 
nured plant. - 
The Time. 
It flowreth with vs not vntill Auguft,or September fometimes, fothat 
it hardly giueth ripe feede (as I faid) neither is it of that force to purge, 
which groweth in thefe colder Countries, [.as, that which commeth from 
Spaine, and other places. 
The Names. 
The name Cniim is deriued from theGreekcs, and Ctrtbtmut from the 
Arabians, yet ftill fttivtu is added vnto it, to drew it is no wilde , but a ma- 
nured plant, and fownceuery where that wee know. Of fome it is called 
Crociti hortatfts, and Strafenicm, from the Italians which fo call it. We call 
it in Englifli Baftard Saffron, Spanifh Saffron, and Catalonia Saffron. 
The Vertues. 
The flowers are vfed in colouring meates, where it groweth beyond Sea, 
and alfo for the dying of Silkes : the kernels of the feede are onely vfed in 
Phyficke with vs,and feructh wellto purge melancholicke humours. 
Chap.LXXVII. 
CtrAuut. Thiftles. 
Y Ou may fomewhat maruaile, tofeemee curious to plant Thiftles in my Gar- 
den, when as you might well fay , they are rather plagues then pleafures, and 
more trouble to weede them out,thcntocherifhthem vp, if I made therein no 
diftin&ion or choifc : but when you haue viewed them well which I bring in , I will 
Ee 3 then 
