23. _SAFFRON is the orange-coloured pistil, or centre part, of a purple
species of crocus_ (Crocus sativus) _which flowers in the autumn, and is
chiefly distinguished by having the three extremities of the pistil so
long as to hang out of the flower_ (Fig. 6.)
In Cambridgeshire there is a town called Saffron Walden, that has its name
from the quantity of saffron which is annually produced in its
neighbourhood.
The roots of the saffron crocuses are planted at the distance of about five
inches from each other, and two inches deep in the ground. As soon as the
flowers appear, they are gathered by hand every morning, just before they
open; and, as they continue to open in succession for several weeks, the
saffron harvest of course continues so long. When the flowers are gathered,
they are spread on a table: the upper part of the pistil only is picked
out, and the rest of the flower is thrown away. As soon as a sufficient
quantity of the pistils have been collected, they are dried in a kind of
portable kiln; over this a hair cloth is stretched, and upon it a few
sheets of white paper. The saffron is scattered upon these to the thickness
of two or three inches, and is then covered with several sheets of paper,
over which is laid a coarse blanket five or six times doubled, or a canvas
bag filled with straw. As soon as the fire has heated the kiln, a board, on
which a weight is put, is placed upon the blanket to press the saffron into
a cake. By the end of the first hour, a strong fire being employed, the
cake is formed. This is then turned, and, for another hour, is subjected to
an equal degree of heat. It is then turned a second time, and a more gentle
heat is employed, till the cake becomes dry, during which time it is turned
every half hour.
A field of saffron will continue in perfection for three or four years,
yielding progressively, during this period, more numerous and larger
flowers, as well as an increase of the bulbous roots; after which the
offsets may be advantageously transplanted to other situations.
The saffron which is grown in England is considered superior to any that is
imported from other countries. The best saffron may be known by the breadth
of the blades. It ought not to be of too deep a red or orange colour, and
should be fresh and tough, and have a strong but pleasant aromatic odour.
Saffron should not be kept more than twelve months.
Saffron was much used by the ancients as a perfume, but, in this respect,
their taste was very different from ours. Not only were the halls,
theatres, and courts, through which they wished to diffuse an agreeable
smell, strewed with this substance, but it was used by them for a scent, in
vinous extracts. From saffron, with the addition of wax, the Greeks, as
well as the Romans, prepared scented salves. In our own country it was
formerly much used in medicine; having been esteemed an excellent remedy in
hysterical and other complaints. When taken in small doses, it tends to
exhilarate the spirits; but it ought to be used with great moderation. It
is sometimes used by bakers, to colour and flavour different kinds of cakes
and biscuits. With water or spirits it gives out a beautiful yellow colour;
but this is not useful as a dye, as, on exposure to the air, it soon fades;
and no means have hitherto been discovered by which it can be fixed and
rendered permanent.
24. _ORRIS ROOT is the root of a white flowered kind of iris, called_
Florentine Iris (Iris Florentina), _which is a native of Italy, and is
distinguished by having two flowers on each stalk, the petals bearded,
and the leaves sword-shaped._
In a dried state this root is well known on account of its grateful odour,
which somewhat approaches that of the violet. It is consequently much used
in the manufacture of hair-powder, and other articles for which an
agreeable scent is required. It is sometimes employed in medicine as a
pectoral or expectorant, and sometimes in dropsies. In a recent state the
root is extremely acrid; and, when chewed, it excites in the mouth a
pungent taste, which continues for several hours; but this acrimony is
almost wholly dissipated by drying.
Orris-root is chiefly imported from Leghorn.
25. _The YELLOW WATER-FLAG, or COMMON IRIS_ (Iris pseudacorus) _is a very
conspicuous plant in most of our marshes. It has sword-shaped leaves,
and, about the middle of July, bears large and beautiful yellow flowers._
The roots of this plant possess qualities which render them capable of
being applied to many useful purposes. Their astringency is such that it is
supposed they might be employed with great advantage in the tanning of
leather. In the island of Jura, one of the Hebrides, they are used for
dyeing a black colour; and the inhabitants of some parts of Scotland adopt
them instead of galls in the making of ink. For this purpose they are cut
into thin slices, and boiled, or infused in water, till the liquid is
deeply tinged with blue. This is poured clear off, and the blade of a
knife, or some other piece of iron, is put into it, and rubbed hard with a
rough white pebble, by which process, after a little while, the liquor
becomes perfectly black.
A slice of the fresh root, if held between the teeth, will, it is said,
almost instantly remove the sensibility, and thus alleviate the pain, of
tooth-ache. The leaves of this plant are considered poisonous to all cattle
except sheep.
26. _The PAPYRUS is a sedge-like plant_ (Cyperus papyrus), _which grows
in watery places in Egypt, Syria, Sicily, and Madagascar._
_It has a three-sided stem, many feet in height, which is terminated by a
bushy head, consisting of a large and compound clustre of flowers._
From this plant the ancients made their paper; and the process of
manufacturing it is described by Pliny, the Roman naturalist, to have been
very simple. The inner rind of the stem was merely cut into strips, and
laid in parallel and transverse rows; and these, on being heavily pressed
with weights, adhered together. The substance thus formed, though of rude
texture, was capable of being written upon; and there are many manuscripts
still extant on paper of this description. The ancients also sometimes
employed the sword-shaped leaves of this plant for writing upon. With the
former a kind of ink was used; but on the latter the letters were formed by
a metallic, pointed instrument, called by the Romans a stylus.
But the papyrus plant was not merely useful for writing upon. The
inhabitants of the countries where it is found manufacture it, even to this
day, into sail-cloth, mattresses, ropes, and sometimes even into wearing
apparel. When the stems are compactly woven together, and plastered,
externally, with a kind of resinous substance, so as to prevent the
admission of water, they are made into boats. These, though they resemble
great baskets in appearance, are of considerable use to the inhabitants.
The "ark of bulrushes daubed with slime and pitch," in which the infant
Moses was placed, is supposed, by the best commentators, to have been a
boat made of this plant.
The floral _thyrsus_ which was used to adorn the temples and statues of the
gods, was a representation of the tuft of the papyrus.