308 BRECK’S NEW BOOK OF FLOWERS. 
T 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. 
PAPAVER.—Poprry. 
{Name of obscure derivation, by some said to be derived from the 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 biue ; 
Autumnal months behold 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 Papaver somniferum, from which Lauda- 
num, Morphine, ete., 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- 
ple. 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 
