1)6 I-l.OWl-'.RS OK 'I HI', CORNFIELDS 



Uon follows. Ilu- pi-lals air weak and li.ililc to (liop, so thai the 

 -stiyj^ma is necessarily the rcsiiiv^-place. 



The seeds of the Common Red Poppy are dispersed In the wind. 

 The capsule or fruit is perforated at the top, ant! when the wind blows 

 the seeds are scattered throuLjh the pores as pe[)per from a pepper-box, 

 but here in an erect position. 



It is a sand plant and requires a sand soil, Ijcing found on the 

 older rocks largely of clastic origin, as well as on gravel and on 

 lime soil. 



Ento/o))nx bicolo)\ a rare tungus, anti /'croiios/>oi\i aidorcsccns often 

 destroy whole beds of culti\ated po[)pi(is. 



The plant is galled by Aulax papavcris, An/ax niimxx. Cccidoviyia 

 brassiccTy Sciaphila zva/iiboinmna; the Homopterous .Iphis hrassicer 

 and the fly Chroniatomyia albiccps infest it. 



Pliny gave the name Papavcr, a popp\ , which is the same as the 

 Anglo-Saxon popig. Rliaas. given by Lobel (tenth century), is from 

 (■reek rhco, ilow, meaning falling off. in allusion to the fugacious petals 

 or milky stem. 



The English names are Blind Eyes, Blindy-bufts, Bledewort, 

 Canker, Canker Rose, Cheesebowl, Cockrose, Cock's-comb, Collin- 

 hood. Copper-rose, Corn Rose, Corn-flower, Cuprose, Cusk Darnel, 

 Ear-aches, Fireflout, Lightnings, Maws, Poison Pop]iy, Pope, Rid- 

 weed. Soldiers, Thunder Bolts, Yedwark. 



The Red Poppy is called Poison Plant in allusion to the supposed 

 properties (cf. also Headache). To weed poppies is called " poping ". 

 l)lind I^yes is the Yorkshire name, from a belief it will cause blindness 

 placed too near the eyes. Cusk or cushion, a drinking-cup, alludes to 

 the shape of the capsule. Poppyheads are said to cause violent earache 

 if placed in the ear, and the same applies to headaches. 



Corn poppies that in crimson dwell, 

 Called headaches from their sickly smell; 

 and again. 



When headaches rattle 

 Pigs will sattle ; 



that is, fall in price, they being cheap in July. Irishwomen particu- 

 larlv object to poppies. 



If the petals fall off, the would-be gatherer in Berwickshire was 

 supposed to be struck by lightning, hence the name Lightnings. 

 The Red Poppies which sprang up after Waterloo on the field are 

 locally held to have sprung from the blood of the slain. \'irgil calls 

 it the Lethean {wppy. From its sleep-producing properties it is the 



