PAPAVER ^^ 



PAPAVER 



''Poppy" 



Notwithstanding the wonderful range of form and colour 

 found in annual Poppies i^PapaveracecE), there are really 

 very few annual species. The two from which the garden 

 varieties have descended are P. somniferum, the bold, 

 glaucous-leaved Opium Poppy, with whitish flowers ; and 

 P. Rheas, our wild red Poppy. Other annual species, all 

 hardy, are P. glaucum, 2 feet, vivid scarlet — The Tulip 

 Poppy ; P. pavonium, i| foot, scarlet and black ; P. Icevigatum, 

 2 feet, scarlet, white, and black ; and P. umbrosum, 2 feet, 

 deep red and black. 



The Poppies are among the easiest plants to grow, but 

 in most cases the fine seeds are sown 90 per cent, too 

 thickly, the thinning is done half-heartedly, and the results 

 are poor as compared with what they ought to be. The 

 Shirley Poppies, raised originally by the Rev. W. Wilks 

 from a wild form of P. Rheas, are too often spoiled because 

 the plants are crowded, and so flower poorly and last only 

 a short time when the weather is bright. The seeds need 

 but the_ merest covering of soil, and as Poppies do not 

 transplant satisfactorily, the sowing must be made where the 

 plants are to flower. The seedlings should be thinned as 

 early as possible to not less than i foot apart for the 

 Shirley and similar varieties, allowing a greater space for 

 the big double and single varieties of P. somniferum. 



Shirley Poppies range from pure white to deepest 

 crimson, and they are extremely graceful and beautiful. If 

 the flowers are cut just as the buds begin to open they are 

 very valuable for home decoration, as they speedily expand in 

 water, but if they are not so treated they fall to pieces quickly. 



Danebrog or Victoria Cross, White Swan, Mikado, 

 Mephisto, Cardinal, and Mauve Queen are names given to 

 remarkably fine varieties of P. somniferum ; these grow 2 feet 



