The  Cultivation  of  Saffron,  209 
Platinum  Chloride.~No  immediate  precipitate,  but  on  standing 
some  time  a  slight  yellowish  brown  flocculent  precipitate  was  pro- 
duced. 
Mercuric  Chloride. — An  immediate  voluminous  yellow  precipitate. 
Iodine  in  Potassium  Iodide. — A.  slight  brown  flocculent  precipi- 
tate. 
Ferric  Chloride  and  Potassium  Ferricyanide. — Immediate  bluish 
green  color,  followed  by  separation  of  an  intense  Berlin  blue  amor- 
phous precipitate. 
Potassium  Bichromate  in  Concentrated  Sulphuric  Acid. — Brownish 
green  color  with  odor  of  butyric  acid.  The  solid  extract  gave  a 
beautiful  deep  green  color,  resembling  the  test  for  morphine. 
Frohde's  Reagent. — A  blue  color  was  produced. 
Chlorine  Water. — A  reddish  color,  disappearing  on  standing  or  on 
heating. 
Sulphuric  Acid. — No  apparent  reaction. 
Nitric  Acid. — Intensified  yellow  color,  yellow  residue  on  evapora- 
tion. 
Hydrochloric  Acid. — Apparent  slight  discharge  of  color ;  needle- 
shaped  crystals  were  formed  on  concentration  of  the  solution. 
A  further  examination  of  the  substance  as  to  whether  more  than 
one  ptomaine  was  present,  and  as  to  the  ultimate  composition  of 
the  body,  together  with  other  tests  which  might  have  been  of  inter- 
est, was  prevented  by  exhaustion  of  the  amylic  alcohol  residue. 
However,  the  presence,  as  a  result  of  putrefactive  action,  of  a  basic 
body  of  alkaloidal  character  and  marked  physiological  action  is 
shown. 
Chemical  Laboratory,  South  Dakota 
Agricultural  College  and  Experiment  Station. 
THE  CULTIVATION  OF  SAFFRON  IN  LEBANON 
COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 
By  Joseph  L.  Lemberger,  Lebanon,  Pa. 
CROCUS. — SAFFRON. 
The  stigmas  of  Crocus  Sativus,  U.  S. 
The  dried  stigmas  aild  top  of  the  style  of  Crocus  Sativus,  Br.; 
Safran,  French,  German ;  Zafferano,  Ital. ;  Azafran,  Sp. ;  Hebrew, 
D2D2I  (Karkom) ;  Gr.,  Kpo/cos  (Crocus),  and  Pennsylvania  German^ 
Saffrig. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1905. 
