142 FAMILIAR FLOWERS OF FIELD AND GARDEN. 



the same strong foothold in our own country. For 

 six years I have picked strong and healthy poppies in 

 a certain part of my garden, where, after the first 

 sowing, the seed has taken the matter into its own 

 hands ; but the flower has not yet consented to the 

 degenerate estate of a w^eed like its European com- 

 panions — toadflax, chicory, viper's bugloss, and tansy. 



The classification of poppies in the seedsmen's cata- 

 logues is somewhat confusing ; as a rule, they present 

 three divisions — Ranunculus, Paeony, and Carnation. 

 The two last-mentioned varieties may be included 

 under the general name which Gray uses, P. sonuiif- 

 erum, or opium poppy. The first-mentioned variety 

 may be included under Gray's name, P. Phceas, or 

 corn poppy, of Europe. There is also a perennial 

 variety, called P. orientale, or Oriental poppy, which 

 is mentioned by the seedsmen as well as by Gray. 

 Under these three names we may include all the 

 commoner varieties of poppies which we may find in 

 the garden. 



The less common varieties are P. tiudicaule, or 

 Iceland poppy (perennial) ; P. glaucium, or tulip 

 poppy ; and the more distant family connections, 

 Argemone Mexicana^ or prickly poppy, and Esch- 

 schoUzia Californica, or California poppy. I might 

 add that our Sanguinaria Canadensis, or blood-root, 

 is a near relative of the poppy. 



