80 



opium. Leaf after leaf is added till the shell is half an inch 

 thick ; the opium is then put into it, and the leaves which were 

 allowed to hang over the edge of the cup are glued with " lewah" 

 over the upper surface until the whole is encased with leaves and 

 " lewah." The ball of opium now resembles a 24 pound shot, 

 It is then rolled in the dried and powdered leaves and stems of 

 the poppy plants, and exposed to the sun for three days. Should 

 it become distended it is opened to allow the gas to escape and 

 again closed. The balls of opium are then placed on open battens 

 where they are exposed to a free current of air, and in two months' 

 time they are ready for shipping. 



From 40 to /olbs. of the Smyrna variety of opium may be got 

 from an acre, and this was worth 7/3 to 8/2 per lb. in England in 

 December, 1 904. At the same time Persian opium was sold at 13/ 

 per lb. 



Poppy Heads and Seeds — The poppy heads or capsules from 

 which the juice was collef^ted, are cut from the stems when ripe, 

 stored, and the seeds are shaken out when dry. The seeds are 

 pressed for the oil they contain, and yield from 40 to 50 per cent. 

 of a bland pale golden-coloured oil, which may be bleached by 

 exposure to the sun. The cold-drawn oil is fit for food, and is 

 used to adulterate olive-oil. It is used for mixing paints ; and as 

 it saponifies readily, the inferior oil is used for making hard soap, 

 and also for burning in lamps. 



The dry cake, after the oil has been expressed, is capital food 

 for cattle, and in India a coarse unleavened bread is made from it. 



The opium obtained in Asia Minor, which is the most impor- 

 tant variety known in Europe and the United States, is collected 

 and prepared as follows : — 



About the end of May, or sometimes even as late as July, ac- 

 cording to the elevation of the land where the Papaver somniferiim 

 is cultivated, the plants, which are the variety glahrum of Boissier, 

 arrive at maturity and the flowers expand. A few days after the 

 petals have fallen, and when the capsule is of a light green hue, 

 it is ready for incision, which is performed in the afternoon, and 

 in the following manner : — A transverse incision is made with a 

 knife about the middle of the capsule, the incision being carried 

 round until it arrives nearly at the part where it commenced ; or, 

 sometimes, it is continued spirally to half-way beyond its starting- 

 point ; and in rare cases it is also incised vertically as well. The 

 greatest precision is necessary in making the incision, for sho d 

 it be too deep, and the interior coating of the capsule be also cut, 

 the exuding juice would then flow into the inside and be lost ; and 

 if the incision be not deep enough, all the juice would not ooze 

 out. It is also stated that in the former case the seeds will not 

 ripen, and no oil can then be obtained from them. The following 

 morning those engaged in collecting the opium lay a large poppy 

 leaf on the palm of the left hand, and having a suitable knife in 



