10 NOTES ON THE SAFFRON PLANT
be learned from the "Song of Solomon" (iv. c. 14v.)—"Thy plants
are an orchard of pomegranates with pleasant fruits, camphor with
spikenard and saffron." The bulb, or "corm," is about the size of a
nutmeg, compressed at the bottom; the young leaves and flower are
contained in a thin sheath, from which they emerge simultaneously.
The flower, though not quite so robust, is similar in shape to the
well known spring crocus, (Crocus verna, L.), but is of a lilac or
light violet colour, in the centre of which, about half the length of
the petal, is a slightly formed style supporting three stigmas of slender
shape and orange golden yellow colour. Part of this style or "string,"
with the stigmas or "chives," is the saffron of commerce. The foliage
of the plant, like that of all the crocus tribe, increases in length
long after its bloom has faded, and may be readily known by its
extreme attenuation. With the exception of some of the finer
grasses, the leaves of the crocus are more slender in comparison
to their length than those of any other British plant.
Dr. Douglass, between the years 1723 and 1728, employed proper
persons to make observations on the culture of saffron, then growing
on a large tract of ground extending from Saffron Walden towards
Cambridge. The land accredited to be most conducive to its pro-
duction was a temperate dry clay, not too stiff, on a substratum of chalk.
Early in April the ground was ploughed more deeply than for corn; in
May twenty, thirty, and even forty loads of short rotten manure
on an acre were ploughed in, and at Midsummer the land was
ploughed a third time. The roots were planted in July in rows six
inches apart, and three inches from each other. Only the round
roots or "corms" were planted; the flat and spiked roots being
rejected; and about 128 bushels per acre was the allowance of
"seed." In September the ground was well hoed, and the weeds
destroyed. At the latter end of September, early in the morning,
Sundays not excepted, the flowers were gathered, when the "chives,"
that is, the style and stigmas, were retained, and the rest of flower
discarded. These parts of the flower were dried upon a kiln, covered
with a wire netting or a hair cloth, over which were laid several sheets
of paper, and weighted. This process required great care and
watchfulness. After an hour the coverings were taken off, the saffron
turned upside down, and then covered and weighted as before for
another hour. If this operation was successful, there was nothing
more to do, but simply to turn the cake over a gentle fire every half
hour for twenty-four hours. Inferior chives were sprinkled with small