Coy little maidens celebrating Crocus time in their native hills among the glaciers in Switzerland. American 
hillsides can be made to look like this. 
CROCUSES 
SPRING FLOWERING 
The Crocus has its home on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and eastward into Asia. The name crocus 
is of Greek origin and means saffron. Saffron in turn is the English spelling of the Arabic word “Zafaran.” 
In early times the orange-yellow stigmas were dried and used in medicine and are still used to-day 
for cooking by the Persians and Spaniards who mix them with their rice. In Greece and Rome, saffron 
was used as a perfume and as a yellow dye and is still employed extensively for that purpose in certain 
sections of the old world. Commercial plantings of crocus for the manufacture of saffron are still to be 
found in Persia, Spain, France and Sicily. 
The Crocus is one of the loveliest of all spring-flowering plants. Soon after the snowdrops have put in 
their appearance come the crocuses with their large showy blooms in yellow, white, purple and stripes of 
lilac on a white ground. They must be grown in a more or less sunny place, otherwise the blooms do not 
open up fully. 
They are easily forced in a temperature of about 50 degrees, especially the top-sized quality bulbs which 
we offer. 
Please bear in mind that many so-called ‘‘first quality” Crocus bulbs do not belong in the top-size. Extra 
quality is never in abundance. 
We guarantee all Crocus bulbs offered to be strictly top size unless mentioned otherwise. 
TIIE BISHOP: 
Dark blue. 50 cts. per dozen, $3 per 100. 
ANTIGONE: 
Blue, light bordered. 50 cts. per dozen, $3 per 100. 
REMEMBRANCE: 
Sky-blue, free flowering. 50 cts. per dozen, $3 per 100. 
BLUE, PURPLE AND LILAC 
PAULUS POTTER: 
Violet-purple. 55 cts. per dozen, $3.50 per 100. 
PURPUREA GRANDIFLORA: 
Purple, the largest of all Crocuses. 60 cts. per dozen, 
$4 per 100. 
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