166 FAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWERS. 
well known for its neat, compact growth of greyish saw- 
toothed leaves, and its profusion of vivid orange-scarlet 
flowers in the early days of summer. This forms a deep 
tap-root, and should be handled with care im removal. As 
it produces new crowns in plenty, the readiest way to 
increase it is by division ; but it seeds freely, and therefore 
van never be a scarce plant. 
In the production of the potent drug, opium, several 
species of poppy are employed. The “ proper” plant is 
Papaver somuiferum, from which opium of the best 
quality may be obtained, not only in semi-tropical climates, 
but in England. The drug is obtained by making slight 
incisions in the green capsules, the result being that 
a milky exudation appears im the line of the wound, and 
this being scraped off is crude opium. Of its further 
preparation, and of its uses and abuses, it will not be 
expected there should be any disquisition here. 
