ANNUAL FLOWERS 79 



will bear cutting and placing in water, though they last 

 but a short time. 



The forms that rank next in popularity have been 

 derived from the Opium Poppy of the Orient, one of the 

 oldest of cultivated flowers. The leaves and stems of 

 this type are thick and succulent and have a smooth, 

 hairless, glaucous surface. A great variety of single and 

 double flowers belong to this group, some of the most 

 beautiful being the Mikado, Snowdrift, and Fairy Blush. 



The third species, the Iceland Poppy, is really a peren- 

 nial, but in garden practice is classed as an annual. It is 

 a plant with small leaves and slender leafless stems, a 

 native of arctic regions, where it is often very abundant. 

 All these Poppies are excellent for flower borders. They 

 do not bear transplanting well, so the seed should be 

 sown very early in spring where the plants are wanted. 

 The seeds are small and care must be taken to cover very 

 lightly if at all. 



The Sweet Pea 



The Sweet Pea appears to have been in cultivation 

 for more than three centuries. Originally a native of 

 Sicily, the Wild Sweet Pea was improved by a great 

 many flower lovers until in 1876 there were many good 

 varieties. In that year, however, Henry Eckford of Shrop- 

 shire, England, began experimenting with it, and con- 

 tinued for the rest of the century. During this time he 

 originated nearly a hundred new varieties, which were 

 wonderful improvements over the older ones. Conse- 

 quently a large proportion of the Sweet Peas now grown 

 are Eckford introductions. There are several distinct 

 types of flowers and many beautiful colors. 



