308 beeck's new book of flowers. 



I have found that the Tree Peony flowers stronger when 

 well protected in autumn by a liberal coating of manure 

 about the roots, and the top protested with straw. 



PAP AVER.— Poppy. 



[Name of obscure derivation , by some said to be derived from tlie Celtic 

 papa, thickened milk, in allusion to the milky juice of the plants.] 



" And thou, by pain and sorrow blest 

 Papaver, that an opiate dew 

 Conceal'st beneath thy scarlet vest, 

 Contrasting with the Corn-flower blue ; 

 Autumnal months beholtl thy gauzy leaves 

 Bend in the rustling gale amid the tawny sheaves."— Mrs. C. Smith. 



This genus is well known as furnishing a valuable medi- 

 cine as well as for its ornamental plants. Opium is the 

 dried juice of JPapaver somniferum^ from which Lauda- 

 num, Morphine, etc., are prepared. The seeds of the 

 Poppy are without narcotic properties, and are used as 

 food. The Poppy produces a great number of seeds, for 

 which reason Cybele, the mother of the gods, is repre- 

 sented crowned with Poppy-heads as a symbol of fecundity. 

 The species of this genus are all showy, with large brilliant 

 flowers. 



Papaver somniferum. — Opium or Garden Poppy. — 

 This, in its natural state, has large single flowers, 

 which soon fall away and are succeeded by a capsule, which, 

 when wounded, exudes a milky juice that, on drying, 

 becomes Opium. The double varieties, or Hybrid Pop- 

 pies, are very ornamental. Picotee Poppies, are improved 

 varieties with white flowers, spotted or splashed with 

 crimson, scarlet, or purple, and very handsome and dou- 

 ble. The Peony-flowered have very large, full double 

 flowers, of rich colors and shades of crimson, purple, scar- 

 let, rose, white, variegated, bordered, etc. A bed of these 



