This order does not include many plants of much ornamental value. It is much more famous for its medicinal qualities than for floricul-tural importance, yet it includes not a few plants remarkable for producing large strikingly-showy flowers, some indeed imposingly brilliant, and handsomely formed or interesting leaves. The flowers, however, in most cases, are of a somewhat fleeting character, but it should be stated that many of the best produce a very prolonged succession of bloom, which handsomely compensates for the brief duration of individual flowers. The larger number of the species are either annual or biennial plants, and do not therefore invite our attention at present; but some of the perennials are so distinctive and handsome in character, that notwithstanding the short duration of the flowers, no really good collection of hardy perennial plants can be considered complete without a few of them in its ranks, and only a few of the best are here selected. As a rule, all the Papaveraceae luxuriate best in light rich gritty loam; but the soil should be well drained whatever its texture or components may be. Propagation is effected by division in spring or by seeds.

The latter method, in the majority of cases, is the best, because, owing to the thick fleshy rootstock which most of the larger growing Poppy-worts form, division is not always a safe or successful process. Sow the seeds in March, in small pots, in a cold frame or in slight heat. Only two or three seeds may be sown in each pot. It is characteristic of the order generally that the plants at first make only a taproot, which, when broken - and it is not easily avoided in the process of pricking off, should it be necessary to resort to it - does not readily emit fibres or repair itself; it is better, therefore, to sow very thinly in small pots, and afterwards to thin away the weaker plants, leaving only one or two of the strongest to occupy the pot, and be potted on if necessary, before finally turning it out into the place it is to occupy in the open ground.