POR 



POT 



^vlien thoroughly dried, and not ex- 

 posed to luoisUire. 'I'lio Uil:|)-liee is 

 iuipn)j)crly called a poplar. 



POPLITEAL. Rulaiingto the 

 space behind the knee joint. 



POPPY. The genus Papavcr, of 

 which the P. xonuajcrum is cultivated 

 for opium and the bland uil furnished 

 by expression from its seeds. It is 

 cultivated on the best soil, well ma- 

 nured. The land sometimes receives 

 as many as five stirrings, and the 

 seed is then droppeil into shallow 

 drills, about two feet apart. Durmg 

 the growth of the plants, the soil is 

 stirred, well watered, and s(nTictimes 

 top-dressed. In two months from 

 the time of sowing, the capsules are 

 ready for incision, wliich process 

 goes on for two or three weeks ; 

 several horizontal cuts being made 

 in the capsule on one day, on the 

 next the milky juice whicdi had oozed 

 out, being congealed, is scraped off'. 

 This operation is generally repeated 

 three times on each capsule, and 

 then the capsules are collected for 

 their seed. The raw juice is knead- 

 ed with water, evaporated in the sun, 

 mixed with a little poppy oil, and, 

 lastly, formed into cakes, which are 

 covered with leaves of poppy, and 

 packed in chests with poppy husks 

 and leaves. 



The P. Rhcas is also cultivated as 

 an oil plant in France, where little of 

 the opium is made. In Europe some 

 species are a great pest in corn- 

 fields. 



P P U L I N. A crystalline sub- 

 stance obtained from the bark of the 

 aspen. 



PORCATE. In entomology, divi- 

 ded into ridges ; a surface on which 

 there are several elevated and paral- 

 lel grooves. 



PORCELAIN CAPSULES. Evap- 

 orating basins of porcelain ; this ma- 

 terial resists a great heat, and is not 

 readily acted on except by potash or 

 soda. 



PORCH. An arched or flat ceiled 

 vestibule to a door or building. 



PORES. Small spaces existing 

 between the atoms of bodies ; also, 

 distinct apertures through leaves or 

 610 



membranes, from which perspiration 

 and vapours pass. 



POROSITY. The property of bod- 

 ies whereby they transmit iluids or 

 gasses, and which depends on their 

 pores. 



PORK. See Bacon, Ham, Hog: 



PORK, CLEAR. Side pork for 

 barrelling, free from lean, being all (at ; 

 the Berkshires, if fully lal, cut as largo 

 a (juantity as anv other breed. 



P O R P H Y R Y. A hard red or 

 gray stone of the nature of granite, 

 of igneous origin, and consisting of 

 feldspar, with quartz or hornblende 

 It occurs in the oldest dikes. 



PORRECT. Extending. When a 

 part extends horizontally. 



PORRIGO. Scaki head, ring- 

 worm, tetter. Tar ointment, cleanli- 

 ness, and attention to the general 

 health, are the best remedies. 



PORTAL. The lesser of two 

 gates. 



PORTAL CIRCULATION. The 

 circulation of venous blood from the 

 abdominal viscera through the liver 

 to the right auricle of the heart. 



PORTER. A beer coloured with 

 dark malt or molasses. 



PORTICO. A projection from a 

 building, supported by arches or pil- 

 lars. 



POSITIVE ELECTRICITY. See 

 EleclricUy. A surplus of electricity. 



POST. A perpendicular piece of 

 timber ; a piece driven into the earth ; 

 the end should be charred. Locust, 

 catalpa, and oak posts are preferred, 



POST ABDOMEN. The five pos- 

 terior segments of the abdomen of in- 

 sects, or the tails of some crusta- 

 ceans. 



POTASH, POTASSA, KALI. Pro- 

 toxide of potassium, a well-known 

 caustic (vegetable caustic). See Po- 



tCLSSTlLTTt. 



POTASHES. The washed or 

 lixiviated ashes of trees, especially 

 of oaks, hickories, maples, sycamores, 

 the elm, willow, and beech. The ash, 

 mixed with lime, is leached in bar- 

 rels or vats, and the clear solution, 

 being drawn off, or allowed to drip 

 from holes made in the bottom of the 

 vats, is next evaporated in large iron 



