ON POPPIES 



Poppy," and later when still further improved as 

 the "Santa Rosa Strain of the Shirley Poppy." The 

 modifications are so striking that various horti- 

 culturists have suggested that the plant is entitled 

 to rank as a new variety. But I preferred to rec- 

 ognize the variety from which the new plant had 

 been developed by retaining its name. 

 Coming of the Blue Poppy 



It has repeatedly been observed that no flower 

 or fruit is or can be developed beyond possibility 

 of further improvement. However closely a new 

 form may approximate the ideal at which the 

 plant developer aimed there are always variations 

 that suggest new possibilities that perhaps were 

 not contemplated at the outset of the experiment. 



And the improved Shirley poppy was no excep- 

 tion to this rule. As work continued with the new 

 flower, the form of its petals modified until 

 they were exquisitely delicate, and its colors 

 blended until the most artistic and delicate shades 

 were predominant, attention was attracted one 

 day to a specimen growing among the thousands 

 that revealed a color a shade different from any 

 other previously seen. 



On inspecting this flower I seemed to detect, 

 underlying the normal color, a smokiness sugges- 

 tive of a half-concealed blue pigmentation. 



Naturally this was carefully guarded and the 



[115] 



