354 



ing in June; being filled with small purplish seeds. It is a native 

 of ^^'ales, &c. 



The fourth species has a perennial root, composed of two or three 

 strong fibres as thick as a man's little finger, a foot and a half long, 

 dark brown on the outside, full of a milky juice, which is very bitter 

 and acrid: the leaves a foot long, closely covered with bristly white 

 hairs : the stems two feet and a half high, very rough and hairy, hav- 

 ing leaves towards the lower part like the root-leaves, but smaller: 

 the upper part is naked, and sustains at the top one very large flower, 

 of the same colour with the common red sort. It was found in Ar- 

 menia, and flowers here in May. 



There are a few varieties, diftering in the colour of the flowers ; 

 and it is said that the flower is sometimes double, but with us it is 

 always single. 



Culture. — All the different sorts may be increased by seeds, and 

 the two last sorts also by parting and planting out the roots. 



The seeds should be sown in the autumn, or very earl}' in the 

 spring, (l)ul the former is the better season), either in the places 

 'where tlic plants are to grow, or in beds, to be afterwards planted 

 out. The first is probably the best method, as these plants do not 

 bear removing well. 



When they are cultivated for ornament, seed of the finest double 

 sorts should be carefully provided and made use of, and be sown in 

 patches. 



In the practice of Mr. Ball, in cultivating the first sort for the 

 purpose of preparing opium from it, " the seed was sown at the end 

 of Febi uary, and again the second week in March, in beds three feet 

 and a half wide, well prepared with good rotten dung, and often 

 turned or ploughed, in order to mix it well, and have it fine, either 

 in small drills, three in each bed, or broadcast; in both cases, thin- 

 ning out the plants to the distance of a foot from each other, when 

 about two inches high, keeping them free from weeds." They pro- 

 duced from four to ten heads each, and showed large flowers of dif- 

 ferent colours. " With an instrument something like a rake, but 

 with three teeth, the drills may, he says, be made at once." He 



