the Planters were forced to put them into the Ground: I mean, such as were
design'd for new Plantations, which is sooner by near a Month than they
used to sprout, though they lay dry in Heaps, the Weather had so great an
effect upon them.

About _Littlebury_, _Chesterford_, _Linton_, and some other Places
thereabouts, is certainly now the greatest Quantity of Saffron of any part
of the Kingdom; the famous Place noted formerly for it, call'd _Saffron
Walden_, being at this time without it. However, the People of the Places
which I have named, do not forbear bringing it to _Walden_ Market, or
driving Bargains there for large Quantities of it, tho' the Market at
_Linton_ is look'd upon to be much the best. What I have said in my
_Country Gentleman and Farmer's Monthly Director_, gives ample Inductions
for the Management of Saffron, but I may here add a word or two more
concerning it; which is, that considering how many Accidents the Saffron is
subject to, that is dry'd upon the common Kilns, by the scorching of it by
too hot a Fire, and the Unskilfulness of the Dryers; I do not wonder that
there is so much Saffron spoiled. Where there are unskilful Hands employ'd
in the drying part, one ought to provide such Kilns for them as are large
enough to distribute the Heat moderately, and as constant as possible;
which may partly be help'd by providing such a Fire as may be constant, and
not give more Heat at one time than another; for there is a great deal of
Judgment in that. I find, that by the common way, some Saffron is scorch'd,
and some unequally dry'd, for which reason I have contriv'd such a Kiln as
must necessarily answer the end which is proposed in the drying of Saffron;
that is, to put it into a state of keeping with its Virtue in it, and to
put it out of the danger of being scorch'd in the drying. This I shall
publish in my _Natural History of_ Cambridgeshire _and_ Essex, which will
soon appear in the World.