Papaver vagum produced plenty of capsules in my garden when insects were excluded, but only late in the season.  I may here add that Papaver somniferum produces an abundance of spontaneously self-fertilised capsules, as Professor H. Hoffmann likewise found to be the case. (4/2.  ‘Zur Speciesfrage’ 1875 page 53.) Some species of Papaver cross freely when growing in the same garden, as I have known to be the case with Papaver bracteatum and orientale.

Plants of Papaver vagum were raised from seeds sent me from Antibes through the kindness of Dr. Bornet.  Some little time after the flowers had expanded, several were fertilised with their own pollen, and others (not castrated) with pollen from a distinct individual; but I have reason to believe, from observations subsequently made, that these flowers had been already fertilised by their own pollen, as this process seems to take place soon after their expansion. (4/3.  Mr. J. Scott found ‘Report on the Experimental Culture of the Opium Poppy’ Calcutta 1874 page 47, in the case of Papaver somniferum, that if he cut away the stigmatic surface before the flower had expanded, no seeds were produced; but if this was done “on the second day, or even a few hours after the expansion of the flower on the first day, a partial fertilisation had already been effected, and a few good seeds were almost invariably produced.”  This proves at how early a period fertilisation takes place.) I raised, however, a few seedlings of both lots, and the self-fertilised rather exceeded the crossed plants in height.

Early in the following year I acted differently, and fertilised seven flowers, very soon after their expansion, with pollen from another plant, and obtained six capsules.  From counting the seeds in a medium-sized one, I estimated that the average number in each was at least 120.  Four out of twelve capsules, spontaneously self-fertilised at the same time, were found to contain no good seeds; and the remaining eight contained on an average 6.6 seeds per capsule.  But it should be observed that later in the season the same plants produced under a net plenty of very fine spontaneously self-fertilised capsules.

The above two lots of seeds, after germinating on sand, were planted in pairs on opposite sides of five pots.  The two lots of seedlings, when half an inch in height, and again when 6 inches high, were measured to the tips of their leaves, but presented no difference.  When fully grown, the flower-stalks were measured to the summits of the seed capsules, with the following result:—­

Table 4/33.  Papaver vagum.

Heights of flower-stalks to the summits of the seed capsules measured in inches.

Column 1:  Number (Name) of Pot.

Column 2:  Crossed Plants.

Column 3:  Self-fertilised Plants.

Pot 1 :  24 2/8 :  21. 
Pot 1 :  30 :  26 5/8. 
Pot 1 :  18 4/8 :  16.

Pot 2 :  14 4/8 :  15 3/8. 
Pot 2 :  22 :  20 1/8. 
Pot 2 :  19 5/8 :  14 1/8. 
Pot 2 :  21 5/8 :  16 4/8.