78 The Poppy. 



large flowering shrubs, as also to give a gaiety to those parts of 

 the parterre where the early flowers have decayed. 



The Papaver Orientale — Eastern Poppy, was discovered 

 by Tournefort, in America, from whence he sent the seed to the 

 royal garden of plants at Paris, from whence our seeds are derived. 

 It is a perennial plant, easily propagated by dividing its roots in the 

 autumn ; and though a native of the East, will bear the severity 

 of an English winter without injury, especially if planted on a 

 dry soil; rather more care should be taken with it in the United 

 States. Th» seeds should be sown as soon as ripe in pots filled 

 with a rich and fresh loam. These pots require the protection 

 of a greenhouse or frame for the winter months, and the follow- 

 ing spring the young plants may be transplanted into a bed or 

 other pots, and removed again in the autumn. From the mag- 

 nificence both of its size and color, it belongs rather to the fore- 

 ground of the shrubbery than to the borders of choice flowers. The 

 petals are generally of a bright red, with black rays at the base, 

 but they sometimes vary to a reddish orange color. It is no small 

 recommendation to this plant that it flowers freely under the 

 shade of trees, as we have but few plants that blossom in the 

 shade with a red flower. 



Papaver Nudicaule — Naked' Stalked Poppy. This is one 

 of our own species, found in Labrador ; it produces a yellow 

 flower with a fragrance similar to that of the Jonquil, especially 

 in the morning and evening. As its residence implies, it is a 

 hardy perennial plant, generally raised from seed sown either in 

 the autumn or spring. The flowers continue in succession from 

 June to August, sometimes varying to a pure white. There is an- 

 other species, the English P. Cambricum, which is deliriously 

 fragrant. This plant was of course introduced in Thompson's 

 Castle of Indolence. 



Hasselquest mentions the case of a Dervise on board the same 

 vessel, who not having proportioned his store of Opium to the 

 length of his voyage, would have committed suicide had they 

 not landed him to obtain a supply. A Persian prince had so 

 habituated himself to take Opium at certain hours, that he found 

 it impossible to forego the accustomed bane, and died one day, 

 on a journey, because his attendants had omitted to carry a 

 supply. 



In the time of Gesner, the village Damons and Phillises proved 



