20 LETTER J. 



small are the seeds, that the latter would never be 

 ahle to o-et out unless nature had contrived some 

 certain manner of opening the box. Lid it has none, 

 for the hardened stigmas bind down the top and 

 prevent its opening : but in order to remove this im- 

 pediment, a number of little valves open underneath 

 the edges of the stigma {fig- 5. a. ), and through these 

 the seeds fall out. 



You see then, that the Poppy differs from the Ra- 

 nunculus, in having the carpels united into an undi- 

 vided ovary, instead of being all separate ; in the same 

 way all the Poppy tribe differ from all the Crowfoot 

 tribe ; but this is not all. If you break the stem or leaf 

 of a poppy, there runs out a milky fluid, in which the 

 stupifying principle of the plant is contained ; no milk 

 is found in the Crowfoot tribe, the juice of which is 

 always watery and transparent. This is another and 

 most important mark of distinction. 



The most essential differences between the Crow- 

 foot tribe, and the Poppy tribe, therefore, stand 

 thus : — 



Crowfoot Tribey or Ranunculacece. 



Stamens very numerous. Carpels distinct. Juice 

 watery. 



Poppy Trihey or PapaveracecB. 



Stamens very numerous. Carpels united into one 

 central ovary, with a single cavity. Juice milky. 



Besides these marks, by which you may know the 

 two natural orders, there are others. The Poppy 

 has two sepals, and twice two petals; this is never 



