January G. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
255 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
M' W 
JANUARY C- 12 , 1853. 
Weathek neae London in 1851. 
Sun ! 
Sun 
Moon 
Moon’s 
Clock 
Day of 
Year. 
D D 
Barometer. Thermo. 
Wind. 
Rain in In. 
Rises. ; 
Sets. 
R.& S. 
Age. 
aft. Sun. 
6 Th 
Epifhany. Twelfth Day. 
29 919 —29./87: 49—35 
s. 
_ 
7 a. 8 
5 a. 4 
4 24 
26 
6 
15 
6 
7P 
Acilius sulcatus; ponds. 
29.805 — 29.508 49—27 
S.W. 
06 
6 
5 48 
27 
6 
42 
7 
8 S 
Dyticus marginalis; ponds. 
29 . 863 - 29 . 18 ! 49—32 
s.w. 
09 
7 
8 
7 5 
28 
7 
7 
8 
9 Sun 
1 Sunday after Epiphany. 
29 . 460 — 29 . 1.18 39—26 
S.W. 
— 
6 
9 
sets. 
(s; 
7 
32 
9 
10 Jf 
Dvticus punctulatus; ponds. 
29 . 714 — 29.663 50—25 
w. 
08 
5 ' 
11 
5 a 2 
7 
67 
10 
11 To 
Hydrous piceus; ponds* 
29.210 — 29.022 51—43 
w. 
07 
5 
12 
6 18 
2 
8 
21 
11 
12 VV 
Surrotriuiu inuticum. 
29.326 — 29,151 54—36 
S.w. 
62 
4 
13 
7 31 
3 
8 
44 
12 
I^Ibtro&ology of thb Week. —At Chiswick, from observations during the last twenty-five years, the average highest and lowest tempera¬ 
tures of these days are 40.2° and 30.3° respectively. The greatest heat, 54°, occurred on the 7th in 1845 ; and the lowest cold, 6°, on the 8th 
in 1841. During the period 113 days were fine, and on Gp rain fell. 
BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
POP'Py-WORTS.—PAPAVERACEA!. 
PAPATOR. POPPY. 
{Continuedfrom page 21.5.) 
Section II.—Poppies with smooth, cupsules. 
Papayer dubium: Long Smooth-headed Poppy. 
Description. —This is an annual, and so much resembling 
the species which we shall next describe, P. rhoeas, as to be 
frequently mistaken for it. Stem many-flowered, about two 
feet high, woolly at the lower part, but more bristly towards 
the top, the bristles on the seed-vessel stalks lying close to 
them, and whilst young of a beautiful silvery appearance. 
Leaves doubly pinnatifid, with the edges and mid-ribs hairy. 
Capsule or seed-vessel smooth, length much greater than 
the breadth, wider at the top than at the lower part, angular ; 
rays of the stigma on its summit from six to ten. As the 
capsule ripens its lower part separates from the lid suffi¬ 
ciently to allow the ripe seed to escape without their being 
exposed to wet in the capsule. Petals broader than they 
are long, light scarlet, but i)aler than those of any other of 
our red Poppies. Stamens line like ; pollen, yellow. 
Places where found. —In fields where the soil is sandy. 
Time of Jloweriug .— June and July. 
History. —Its name dubium, doubtful, alludes to the un¬ 
certainty at first felt whether it differed from P. rlueas, but 
the doubt no longer is entertained. Jacquin has described 
a white-flowered variety having a dark purple spot at the 
bottom of each petal, but this has never been discovered in 
Britain. About Shanklin Chine, and other parts of the Isle 
of Wight, is found a very hairj', or shaggy variety, as re¬ 
presented in Christian's Flora Danica, 1)02. The calyx is 
studded with large transparent globules, with a bristle 
springing from out of each. The capsule is nearly twice as 
long as it is broad, being longer than in P. rlueas, but 
shorter than in the species, P. dubium. ( Withering. Martyn. 
Smith.) 
Papaver rhceas : Corn Poppy; Bed Poppy. 
Description. —This, the commonest of all the Poppies, is 
an annual. Stem from one to two feet high, upright, cylin- 
I drical, branched, purjilish at the lower part, clothed with 
spreading tawny-coloured hairs, having bulb-like bottoms. 
Leaves stalkless, rather sheathing the stem, hairy on both 
j sides, pinnatifid, with the segments unequally toothed, each 
' tooth rolled back at the edge, horny at the top, and ending 
in a small spine. Flower-stalks long, cylindrical, upright, 
single-flowered, clothed with hairs spreaihng horizontally. 
The twK) sepals of the Calyx bristly, and skin like on the 
edges. Petals bright scarlet, often black at the bottom. 
Capsule urn-shaped, smooth, with a convex stigma, purplish, 
and ten or twelve-rayed. Capsule marked with as many 
raised lines as there are rays to the stigma. Seeds dark 
purple. 
Places where found. —In fields everywhere, being a trouble¬ 
some weed. 
Time of Jloivering .— June and .July. 
History.—Rheas is the Greek for a wild Poppy, and of 
them all this is the most common all over Europe. In this 
country its universal prevalence has subjected it to various 
local names, among which are Corn-rose, Cop or Cup- 
rose, Canker-rose, Pied-weed, Head-wark, Eed-mailkes, &c. 
In Shropshire and Staffordshire it is said to be very rare, its 
place being taken by P. dubium. Garden culture has raised 
from it many beautiful varieties, all of which, as well as 
their parent, are remarkable for their large flowers being 
packed so compactly as to be contained in a comparatively 
small flower-bud. From the petals of the wild species the 
Draper Bee {Apis papaveris) prepares the hangings of her 
apartment. She dexterously cuts out the petals when about 
half-expanded, straitens their folds, shapes them to her 
purpose, and lines with them the cell that is to be the abode 
of her offspring. 
The petals of this Poppy give out, when soaked in water, 
a beautiful crimson colour, which is named from them 
Coquelicot —^this being the French name for the flower. The 1 
petals have a narcotic smell, and a slightly bitter taste. | 
When dried they have a wine red colour. The drying is 
effected with difficulty, and when dried they must be kept in a 
very dry place. They are chiefly used in making Syrup of Red 
Poppies, which may have a very slight soothing effect ; and 
foreign medical men prefer to opium an extract from the 
capsules of this plant. {Martyn. Withering. Smith. 
Duncan.) 
In whatever degree, either as regards mere numbers, or 
their relative merits, the Poultry Exhibitions of the year 
1852 may have exceeded those of 1851, there can be 
little doubt but that 1853 will witness a still further 
increase of the public interest that has hitherto been so 
liberally accorded to them. 
With this prospect before us, it may be useful to 
consider how far our present arrangements for these 
No. CCXXIIL, VoL. IX. 
