PAPAVERACEAE 59 
the same holds good of bella, aculeata, simplicifolia, and 
probably of all. Horridula and racemosa are supposed 
forms of one plant, and rumour threatens that their big 
purple flowers also fluctuate to dowdy lilacs. 
Grandis is only a promise, so far; it looks mighty fine 
and stalwart; Heaven send its beauty be in proportion to 
its vigour! But sad experience teaches gardeners that 
vigour, in a new plant, or fertility of germination in seed, 
spells ugliness—things that are really worshipful are too 
apt to be slow to springing and faint in growth. And it 
will be well to mention here that Meconopsis petiolata is 
declared a synonymof Stylophorum diphyllum by Nicholson, 
while Meconopsis heterophylla is a tall Californian annual 
with very pretty orange-tawny flowers, black-spotted at 
their base, that smell like Lily of the Valley. Meconopsis 
nepalensis is a biennial or monocarpous species, carrying 
very tall spikes of nodding pale yellow flowers high above 
lovely great fluffy rosettes. It is among the less uncom- 
mon species, and has never taken my affection captive, 
probably because it is so like, but so inferior to, its 
superb cousin Meconopsis Wallichvi, the best known of 
all the exotic species. Meconopsis Wallichit carries spikes 
similar in foliage, growth, and size to those of nepalensis, 
but the flowers are, or ought to be, of a pale, bright, 
silky blue. I say ‘ought to be,’ for the colour varies 
dreadfully, and seedlings of one batch will yield, as I 
have said, besides the celestial tones, most horrid lilacs, 
brownish purples, faded or dingy shades unworthy of 
admittance to the garden. At Kew, in the peaty bog- 
pits, Wallich’s Poppy makes a gorgeous show, but here, 
of course, no such wet treatment is necessary; any cool 
peaty corner, in sun or shade, does equally well. Having 
flowered, the plant dies, and there is, first of all, the 
anxiety of ascertaining whether it has set any sound seed ; 
then the trouble of raising it; then the long waiting 
