P A P 



P A P 



Tt belongs to the class -in-! order Pfh/midria 

 Monogynui, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Rhiiulece. 



The characters are : tint the calyx is a two- 

 leaved perianthimn, ovate, emarginate : 1. 

 subovate, concave, obtuse, caducous : the corolla 

 has tour roundish petaN. Bat, spreading, 

 narrower at the base : alternately less : the sta- 

 mina have numerous filaments, capillary, much 

 shorter than the corolla: anthers oblong, com- 

 pressed, erect, obtuse : the pisriilum has a round- 

 ish, large germ : style none : stigma peltate, fiat, 

 radiate : the pericarpium is a crowned capsule, 

 with the large stigma, one-celled, half-many- 

 celled, opening bv many holes at the top under 

 the crown : the seeds numerous, very smail : 

 receptacles, longitudinal plaits, the same num- 

 ber with the rays of the stigma, fastenc! to the 

 wall of the pericarpium. 



The species cultivated arc : 1. P. somnift-rnm, 

 White Poppy ; 9. P. Rhoeas, Corn or Red Poppy ; 

 3. P. Camlricrim, Welsh Peppy; 4. P. Ori- 

 ental*, Oriental Poppy. 



The first has the stalks large, smooth, five ^ r 

 six feet hish, branching : the leaves large, grayish . 

 embracing at the base, irregularly jagged on their 

 sides : the flowers terminating, whilst inclosed 

 in the calvx hanging down, bui before the co- 

 rolla expands becoming erect : the calyx is com- 

 posed of two large oval grayish leaves, that se- 

 parate and soon drop off: the corolla is com- 

 posed of four large, roundish, white petals, of 

 short duration ; and succeeded by large roundish 

 heads as big as Oranges, flatted at top and bot- 

 tom, and having an indented crown or stigma : 

 the seeds are white. It is a native of the south- 

 ern parts of Europe, but probably originally from 

 Asia. 



There are several varieties, differing in the 

 colour and multiplicity of their petals, which 

 are preserved in gardens for ornament : the 

 Single-flowered sort is chiefly cultivated for use. 



The Common Black variety of Poppy has 

 stalks about three feet high, smooth, and divid- 

 ing into several branches : the leaves arc large, 

 smooth, deeply cut or jagged on their edges, 

 and embracing: the petals purple with dark 

 bottoms; succeeded bv oval smooth capsules 

 filled with black seeds, which are sold under the 

 Dame of Maw-seed. 



Of ibis there are many sub-varieties: as with 

 lar^e double flowers, variegated of several colours; 

 with red and white, purple and v. bite, and some 

 finely spotted like Carnations. 



There are few plants ". i I E so 



handsome; but as they have an scent, 



and are of short duration, they arc uot in ge- 



neral much regarded : they are annual, flower- 

 ing in .lime. 



The second species has the stem from one 

 to two feet high, upright, round, branched, 

 purplish at bottom, with spreading hairs, bul- 

 bose at the base: the leaves are sessile, form 

 a kind of sheath at bottom, hairy on both sidi • : 

 the segments or leaflets unequally tooihc! 

 rate, each tooth rolled back at the edge, callous 

 at top, and terminated bv a small spine: the pedun- 

 cles long, round, upright, one-flowered, red, the 

 hairs on it spreading horizontally. It is a native 

 of every part of Europe, 8ec. flowering from June 

 to August. 



There is a variety with an oval black shin- 

 ing spot at the base of each petal, from which 

 many beautiful garden sub-varieties are produced 

 which have double flowers, white, red bordered 

 with white, and variegated. 



In the third the stalks are a foot high, and 

 smooth : the pinnas of the leaves are deeply cut 

 on their edses ; and there are a few small lea - 

 on the stalk shaped like the lower ones : the up- 

 per part of the stalk is naked, and sustains one 

 hree yellow flower, appearing in June ; being 

 filled with small purplish seeds. It is a native 

 of Wales, &c. 



The fourth species has a perennial root, com- 

 posed 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, closelv covered with bristly white hairs : 

 the stems two feet and a half high, v<rv rough 

 and hairy, having 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 Armenia, and flowers 

 here in May. 



There are a few varieties, differing 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 in- 

 creased bv seeds, and the two last sorts also 

 bv parting and planting out the roots. 



The seeds should be sown in the autumn, or 

 very earlv in the spring, (but the former is the 

 better season,) either in the places where the 

 plants are to grow, or in beds, to be afterwards 

 planted out. The first is probably the best me- 

 thod, as these plants do not bear removing welL 



When they are cultivated for ornament, seed 

 of the finest double sorts should be carefully pro- 

 vided and made use of, and be sown in palcfa 



InthepracticeofMr.Ball iueuluvatingthe first 



