eing
strikingly conspicuous as a weed by its blossoms rich in scarlet
petals, which are black at the base. The title _Papaver_ has been
derived from pap, a soft food given to young infants, in which it was
at one time customary to boil Poppy seeds for the purpose of
inducing sleep. Provincially this plant bears the titles of "Cop Rose"
(from its rose-like flowers, and the button-like form of its cop, or
capsule) and "Canker Rose," from its detriment to wheat crops.

The generic term _Rhoeas_ comes from _reo_, to fall, because the
scarlet petals have so fragile a hold on their receptacles; and the
plant has been endowed with the sobriquet, "John Silver Pin, fair
without and foul within." In the Eastern counties of England any
article of finery brought out only occasionally, and worn with
ostentation by a person otherwise a slattern, is called "Joan Silver
Pin." After this sense the appellation has been applied to the Scarlet
Poppy. Its showy flower is so attractive to the eye, whilst its inner
juice is noxious, and stains the hands of those who thoughtlessly
crush it with their fingers.

"And Poppies a sanguine mantle spread,
For the blood of the dragon St. Margaret shed."

Robert Turner naively says, "The Red Poppy Flower (_Papaver
erraticum_) resembleth at its bottom the settling [438] of the 'Blood
in pleurisie'"; and, he adds, "how excellent is that flower in diseases
of the pleurisie with similar surfeits hath been sufficiently
experienced."

It is further called Blindy Buff, Blind Eyes, Headwarke, and
Headache, from the stupefying effects of smelling it. Apothecaries
make a syrup of a splendid deep colour from its vividly red petals;
but this does not exercise any soporific action like that concocted
from the white Poppy, which is a sort of modified opiate, suitable
for infants under certain conditions, when sanctioned by a doctor.
Otherwise, all sedatives of a narcotic sort are to be strongly
condemned for use by mothers, or nurses:--

"But a child that bids the world 'Good-night'
In downright earnest, and cuts it quite,
(A cherub no art can copy),
'Tis a perfect picture to see him lie,
As if he had supped on dormouse pie,
An ancient classical dish, by-the-bye,
With a sauce of syrup of Poppy."

Petronius, in the time of Nero, A.D. 80, "delivered an odd receipt
for dressing dormouse sausages, and serving them up with Poppies
and honey, which must have been a very s