OPIUM. 



51 



1 



same time it is wholly optional with them, whether to enter on the 



cultivation or not. 



The variety of poppy cultivated is the same as in Persia, namely, P. 



if. 



Min 



is indispensable.^ The plant is liable to injury by insects, excessive rain, 

 hail, or the growth on its roots of a species of Orohanche. 



In Behar the sowing takes place at the beginning of November,^ and 

 the capsules are sacrificed in February or March (March or April in 

 Mahva). This operation is performed with a peculiar instrument, called 

 a nusJifur, having three or four two-pointed blades, bound together with 

 cotton thread.2 In using the nusJitur, only one set of points is brought 

 into use at a time, the capsule being scarilSed vertically from base to 

 summit. This scarification is repeated on different sides of the capsule 

 at intervals of a few days, from two to six times. In many districts of 

 Bengal, transverse cuts are made in the poppy-heact as in Asia Minor. 



The milky juice is scraped off early on the following morning with 

 au iron scoop, which as it becomes filled is emptied into an earthen pot 

 carried by the collector's side. In Malwa a flat scraper is used which, 

 as well as the fingers of the gatherer, is wetted from time to time with 

 linseed oil to prevent tlie adhesion of the glutinous juice. All accounts 

 represent the juice to be in a very moist state by reason of dew, which 

 sometimes even washes it away; but so little is this moisture of the 

 juice thought detrimental that, as Butter states,' the collectors in some 

 places actually wash their scrapers in water, and add the washings to 

 the collection of the morning! 



The juice when brought home is a wet granular mass of pinkish 

 colour; and in the bottom of the vessel in which it is contained, there 

 collects a dark iluid resembling infusion of coflfee, which is called 

 pOMwa. The recent juice strongly reddens litmus, and blackens metallic 

 iron. It is placed in a shallow earthen vessel, which is tilted in such 

 a manner that the pasewd may drain off as long as there is any of it to 

 be separated. This liquor is set aside in a covered vessel. The residual 

 mass is now exposed to the air, though never to the sun, and turned 



omote its attaining the proper degree of 

 the Benares regulations, allows of 30 per 



over every few days to pr 

 firyness, which according to 



J^ VV^ v.iv. ^^v....s... .^^ 



pmm 



cent, of moisture. This drying operation occupies three or four weeks. 



The drug is then taken to the Government factory for sale ; previous 

 to being sold it is examined for adulteration by a native expert, and 

 Its proportion of water is also carefully determined. Having been 

 I'^ceived into stock, it undergoes but little treatment beyond a thorough 

 imxing, until it is required to be formed into globular cakes. This is 

 ettt^cted in a somewhat complicated manner, the opium being strictly of 

 pndard consistence. First the quantity of 



"aving been formed into a ball is enveloped ... ... 



petals, skilfully agglutinated one over the other by means of a hquid 

 ^"ed lewa. This consists partly of good opium, partly of paseiua, and 

 partly of opium of inferior quality, all being mixed with the washings 



the various pots and vessels which have contained opium, and then 



toUn^^'*J*^^'^)*hat the ground devoted » For fignres of the instrument, see 



PoSr^''^*^'^ ^^ ^«°g^l i^ becoming im- Pharm. Journ. xi. (1862) 207. 

 atti2 "te ' ^^""^ ^^^^ P^^'* °^ ^^"Ser ' PAarm Jonrn. xi. (18o2) 209. 



