12 
CULTURE OF THE PAPAVER. 
" All the parts of the poppy abound in a narcotic milky juice, which is partially 
extracted, tog-ether with a considerable quantity of mucilage by decoction. The 
liquor strongly pressed out, suffered to settle, clarified with white of eggs, and 
evaporated to a due consistence, yields about one-fifth or one-sixth of the weight of 
the heads of extract which possesses the virtues of opium in a very inferior 
degree ; but the milky juice of the poppy in its more perfect state, which is the case 
in warm climates only, is extracted by incisions made in the capsules, and inspis- 
sated to form the true opium of commerce. 
" The plants during- their growth are carefully watered and manured, the 
watering being more profuse as the period of flowering approaches, and until the 
capsules are half grown, when it is discontinued and the collection of the opium 
commences. 
" At sunset, longitudinal incisions are made upon each half-ripe capsule, passing 
below upwards and not penetrating to the internal cavity. The night dews favour 
the exudation of the juice, which is collected in the morning by v/omen and 
children, who scrape it off the wounds with a small iron scoop, and deposit the 
whole in an earthen pot, where it is worked by wooden spatules in the sunshine, 
until it attains a considerable degree of thickness. It is then formed by the hand 
into cakes, which are laid in earthen basins to be further exsiccated, when it is 
covered over with poppy or tobacco leaves 
All the annual species and varieties may be sown in the open borders about the 
end of March, which is very preferable to sowing them in other situations and after- 
wards transplanting them ; as from the nature of their roots they will not bear to 
be removed without injury. See Vol. I. page 18. 
The biennial kinds, as P.Jloribunda and its varieties, may be treated like other 
hardy biennials (vol. I. page 66), except that it is better to sow the seed on the 
border where the plants are to flower. 
The perennial kinds of diminutive growth, as P. crocea, nudicaule, and its 
varieties, ruhro-aurantiacum micro caypum, Pirenaimim and its varieties, require 
to be planted in very dry situations in the borders, or, which is better, on rock 
work, or in pots, for which from their pretty dwarf growth they are well cal- 
culated. If some precaution of this kind is not used, they are very likely to damp 
off in dull wet weather in winter. 
The more robust perennial species, as P. orientalis hracteatum, require nothing 
further than the treatment of herbaceous perennials in general. See Vol. II. p. 199, 
All the three kinds produce seeds, by which they may be readily propagated, 
but the perennial species are increased by dividing the roots. 
Sow the seeds of the perennials at the same season as the annuals are sown, and 
after they have become of a sufficient size, remove them, with good balls, into the 
situations where they are to flower. 
It is always best to preserve the seeds of poppies in the heads, because being 
very small they are liable to become so dried as to lose their vitality; but if they 
are allowed to remain in the heads they will grow after being kept several years. 
* Don's Syst. Gard. and Bot. 132. 
