PLANTS. 253 
prefled between two {tones, to extract the crude 
juice which i? thrown away : the flowers, after be- 
*ug prefled, are wafhed feveral times in fpring 
ftater, which is brackilh in Egypt ; by this the re- 
gaining acrid juice is wafhed away ; they are then 
^aken out, as much at a time as a perfon can hold 
111 his hand, and the water is fo well prefled out, 
to leave the impreffion of the fingers. They are 
l hen put on the flat roofs of houfes, and laid on 
Uiatts, being now of a yellow colour. In the day 
l <nie they are covered with rufltes or flraw, left they 
ftould dry too faft, and too much by the heat of the 
^n ; but at night they are uncovered and expofed 
ft) the air and dew. The dew changes them into a 
ueep yellow; they are dried by the moderate heat 
°f the night ; and for this reafon there are people 
c onftantly employed in turning them. They are 
afterwards fold to France, Venice, Florence, and 
England, under the name of Saffranon. The 
}'oung leaves are ufed for fallad in Egypt : at 
Smyrna they powder them, and put them into milk 
tQ coagulate it ; and in this manner all cheefe is 
Ulade in Egypt. The feeds are eaten by the Parrot 
uf Alexander, which is very fond of them : to other 
Sirds or beafts they would be a mortal poifon, 
33. Artemifia dracunculus h . Tarragon. 
The Egyptians fay, that if Flax feed is put into 
a u onion, and afterwards planted in rich ground, it 
ftill produce this plant. A fine fable. 
h Linn. Sp. PI. Pag. 1189. N. 19. 
34. Viola 
