Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/291

POPOCATEPETL. 249 POPPY. contains vast quantities of native sulphur in a very pure state. It is exploited from time to time bj' mining engineers, the system being unique. Indians are employed who ascend the mountain daily, fill sacks with sulphur in the crater, and then descend by sliding down the pre- cijiitous snow side of the volcano. The moun- tain was first ascended by Diego Ordez in 1.522, and since that time the ascent has been accom^ plished a number of times. POPOL VTJH, pu-pOl' voo' (Quiche, national book). The sacred book of the Quiche (q.v) of Guatemala. It consists of fragments, more or less complete, of the national traditions and legends, written down in the Quiche dialect, at some unknown early date after the conquest, by a native who was evidently familiar with the ancient records. It is in two parts, the first containing the ancient mythology, the second the early history of the tribe, supplemented by a history of the neighboring and cognate Cakchi- quel (q.v.). There is evidence that at least a part of it was originally in rhythmic form. A Spanish translation by Father Ximenez was published in Vienna in 185", and the original text, with French translation, was issued at Paris by the Abbe Brasseur de Bourbourg in 1861. POPP.a;'A SABI'NA ( ? A.D. 66). A wife of the Emperiir Xciu. Slie was the daughter of Ollius, a client of Sejanus, but took the name of her mother's father, who was consul in the year 9. She married Rufius Crispiniis, priptoriau prefect, and after becoming the mistress of Otho (q.v.) was divorced from Crispinus. She then married Otho and soon aroused the desires of Nero, who sent her husband to Lusitania, made her his mistress, put his mother (Agrippina) to death at her instigation, then divorced and killed Octavia for her sake. Poppsea bore hini a daugh- ter in 63. The child died at four months. Pop- pa-a was killed by a kick from her husband when she was again pregnant. She was entirely unscrupulous, luxurious and proud, if we are to trust the highly colored narrative of Tacitus. Besides her beauty, her only good point seems to be that she urged on Xero clemency to the Jews, wherefore she won high praise from POP'PER, D.wiD (1S4.'5— ). An Austrian violoncellist. Born in Prague, he studied in the Conservatory there, became soloist and conductor in the Vienna Royal Opera, married the pianist Sophie ilenter in 1872, and with her toured Europe. In 1876 he was divorced from his wife and settled at Budapest. His playing, which is brilliant and remarkably sympathetic, has placed him in the front rank of modern violon- cellists, while his compositions for the 'cello are in universal use. POPPIG, pe'piK. Edi-ard Eriedrich (1798- 1868 ) . A German traveler and naturalist. He was horn at Plauen. and after studying at Leipzig set out for Cuba in 1822. He spent two years there, then for some time traveled in the United States, especially in central Pennsylvania, and in 1826 went through Southern and Central Chili. After two years in the forests of the Province of Maynas. where he lived with the Indians, he re- turned to Germany (1832). with valuable col- lections of botanical and zoi'dogical material, be- came professor of zoology- at Leipzig (1833), and did much for the foundation of the zoological museum in that city. He wrote lieise in Chile, Prru uiid auf don A>iiu:o>tc>tstroni (1835), and lllustricrte XaturgescJiichte des Tierreichs {ol) . Consult the biography by Ratzel in the Mitteilun- gcn of the Leipzig Geographical Society. POPPY (AS. popig, papig, from Lat. papaver, poppy), Papaver. A gonus of the natural order Papaveracea-, annual and perennial bristly-haired herbs, natives mostly of warm countries. The leaves are alternate and entire or lobed and cut. The poppy has been in cultivation from early times. It was grown by the Swiss lake-dwellers, and a species native to the shores of the ilediter- ranean was utilized by the Greeks and Romans. By far the most important species is the opium, white, or oil poppy {Papaver somniferum) , im- portant alike for its yield of opium (q.v.) and for the bland, fixed oil of the seeds, used like olive oil. The seed contains no opium nor any narcotic principle, and was well known to the ancients as a pleas- ant article of food, but the manufacture of oil was at one time pro- hibited in France from the mistaken notion that the oil must be narcotic. The seeds yield about 40 per cent, of the oil. and the oil- cake is useful for man- ure or for feeding cat- tle. The oil is some- times used by painters and by soap-boilers, but is not good for burning. In the cultivation of the poppy for oil the seed is often sown in autumn, where the se- verity of the winter frosts is not to be feared; in more north- ern parts it is sown in spring, and sometimes the seed is scattered on the snow. Being very small, it needs little or no harrowing. Early sow- ing is favorable to the size of the plant and the yield. The plants are often culticated in drills. An open but rich soil is best, and a sheltered situation is necessary, as in exposed situations much of the seed is scattered by the wind. In the L'nited States the poppy is chiefly known as- a garden flower. Under cultivation the flowers of the poppy readily become double, and a large number of ornamental varieties have been derived from various species. As ornamental plants they are popular on account of their large showy flowers, their hardiness and ease of culture. The Oriental poppy {Papaver orientale) , a native of Armenia, is one of the most important decorative species. Its flowers, which are deep crimson, are larger than those of any other species. The Iceland poppy {Papaver nudicaule) , a native of Siberia OPIFM POPPY.