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On the Cultivation of the Poppy. 339 
the supposition that it produced the finest oil, yet it has been — 
found that various other kinds will answer the purpose as 
well. It is even asserted that the blue poppy, while it yields 
the largest quantity of seed, is in no respect inferior in the 
quality of the oil. Admiral Kingsbergen, whose private 
virtues render him no less a favourite with his countrymen 
than his skill and courage as a naval officer, instituted an 
experiment with different kinds of seeds in the same soil, 
and he could not. perceive any difference in the quality of 
the oil, while the seeds of the blue poppy yielded considera- 
bly more. . 
The quantity of seed generally used in the broad-cast has 
been after the rate of 2 lbs. to an English acre. In drills a 
lesser proportion has been used. 
‘Time of sowing. —This is from the middle of March to 
the middle of April. If it be sown much earlier, it is more 
likely to be choked by weeds; if later, the harvest will be 
thrown deep into the autumn; and unless the weather be 
“unusually favourable, the seeds will not ripen kindly. 
Weeding.—As soon as the plants appear about two inches 
above the ground, they must be carefully weeded and thin- 
ned, till they stand about seven or eight inches from each 
other. The weeding to be repeated as often as it shall ap- 
pear necessary. 
Harvest.—In the beginning, middle, or end of August, 
according as the time of sowing has been earlier or later, and 
the season propitious, the seeds are ripe for gathering the 
poppy heads. Several methods have been recommended to 
harvest the crop. At first, the heads or balls were broken 
off from their stems, gathered together in large quantities, and 
deposited in a barn, or any other convenient place, in large 
heaps, in order to dry them. This method was not only tedious 
but injurious ; some of the balls becoming musty, commu- 
nicated a disagreeable taste to the seeds, and consequently to 
the oil. Mr. Poske, of Zell, in the electorate of Hanover, pre- 
fers the following method :—He draws the entire plants out 
of the ground; binds a sufficient number of them at each ex- 
tremity, and places them against each other in the manner 
of wheat-sheayes; and lets the whole remain in the field for 
Y? eight 
