PRODUCTION  OF  SAFFRON  IN  KASHMEKE. 
63 
acid,  and  the  same  16  of  sulphur  must  again  take  twice  8  of 
oxygen  to  be  converted  into  sulphuric  acid,  for  every  2  equivs. 
of  chlorine  1  equiv.  of  sulphate  of  baryta,  representing  sulphuric 
acid,  will  be  formed,  and — 
116.5  parts  by  weight  (  =  1  equiv.)  of  sulphate  of  baryta 
will  represent  71.5  parts  (==  2  equivs.)  of  chlorine. 
Hyposulphite  of  soda  is  unchangeable  in  the  air,  both  in  the 
solid  state  and  in  solution  ;  and  from  its  general  employment, 
may  be  always  obtained  pure  in  commerce.  Its  conversion  into 
sulphate  by  chlorine  takes  place  readily,  and  its  decomposition 
by  muriatic  acid  gives  origin  only  to  sulphuric  acid.  Lastly,  the 
sulphate  of  baryta  formed  is  a  compound  which,  when  washed  by 
decantation  and  afterwards  on  the  filter,  may  be  placed  in  the 
platinum  crucible,  dried,  and  heated  to  redness  without  decom- 
position. From  these  circumstances,  this  method  appears  to  be 
preferable  to  all  others,  as  with  a  little  practice  it  may  be  ef- 
fected as  rapidly  as  the  volumetric  methods,  and  with  a  certainty 
equal  to  that  of  the  most  exact  analyses. 
A  good  commercial  example  of  chloride  of  lime  should  furnish, 
according  to  the  above  method,  at  least  its  half  of  sulphate  of 
baryta,  which  represents  30  per  cent,  of  chlorine. — Chem.  Gaz. 
'Sept.  l^from  Liebig's  Annalcn. 
PRODUCTION  OF  SAFFRON  IN  KASHMEKE. 
Pampur,  a  large  village  on  the  right  bank  [of  the  river  Jhclum], 
is  celebrated  for  its  saffron  grounds.  The  cultivation  of  this 
flower  is  carried  on  in  nearly  every  part  of  this  pergunnah,  the 
local  soil  being  alone  found  suited  for  the  purpose.  It  appeared 
to  consist  of  a  light  ferruginous  clay,  which  is  excavated  near 
the  Jhelum,  and  carried  to  the  fields  by  great  manual  labor.  The 
bulbs  are  planted  out  in  small  square  beds  in  June,  weeded  and 
freely  irrigated,  and  the  crop  is  collected  in  October.  The 
Maharajah  and  his  myrmidons  attend  the  gathering  and  take  the 
spolia  opima  of  the  occasion.  The  drug  is  sold  in  the  royal 
bazaar,  and  I  was  informed  that  one  rupee  per  seer  was  levied  as 
export  duty  on  the  trader.  It  varies  in  price  according  to 
quality.  I  observed  some  as  low  as  five  rupees  the  seer  of  two 
pounds,  but  this  was  mixed  with  very  ancient  stuff,  or  what  was 
