9 6 FLOWERS OF THE CORNFIELDS 



tion follows. The petals are weak and liable to drop, so that the 

 stigma is necessarily the resting-place. 



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

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

 the seeds are scattered through the pores as pepper from a pepper-box, 

 but here in an erect position. 



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

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

 lime soil. 



Entoloma bicolor, a rare fungus, and Peronospora arborescens often 

 destroy whole beds of cultivated poppies. 



The plant is galled by A^llax papaveris, Aulax minax, Cecidomyia 

 brassicce, Sciaphila wahlbomiana; the Homopterous Aphis brassier 

 and the fly Chromatomyia albiceps infest it. 



Pliny gave the name Papaver, a poppy, which is the same as the 

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

 Greek rheo, flow, meaning falling off, in allusion to the fugacious petals 

 or milky stem. 



The English names are Blind Eyes, Blindy-buffs, 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 Poppy, 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". 

 Blind Eyes 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- 

 larly 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. Virgil calls 

 it the Lethean poppy. From its sleep-producing properties it is the 



