“PAPAVERA CE. ras) 
The revenue derived by Government from the opium 
- monopoly is obtained by two principal means, by allowing the 
drug to be manufactured by licensed cultivators in the Patna 
and Benares districts, the opium being purchased by Govern- 
- ment at a fixed rate; and, secondly, by the impost of a heavy 
duty on opium manufactured in native States, but brought in 
_ transit to a British port for exportation. The former system 
_ obtains in Bengal, the latter in Bombay The number of 
icensed cultivators in Bengal always exceeds a million. 
-The opium industry in Bengal is thus completely under the 
control and monopoly of Government, and the districts pro-— 
ducing the drug are divided between two agencies—one for 
Bihar, and having its head-quarters at Patna, the other for 
Benares, at Ghazipore. The opium prepared in the Benares 
_ Agency is for the greater part taken by the cultivators to sub- 
‘tories (Kothis), of which there are several in each district, 
vhere the drug is weighed and examined, and finally consigned 
in bulk to the head factory at Ghazipore. “The opium prepared, 
“however, in the home divisions, near the head factory, is taken 
“by the cultivators direct to Ghazipore, The receipt of opium — 
t the head factory is thus conducted under two systems,.the 
first described being termed Challan, and the second Assami- 
war. In the Bihar Agency the whole of the opium received 
t the head factory is Challan. 
The lands selected for poppy cultivation are usually in the 
inity of villages. The early sowings are made about the 
‘middle of November, and the second and third by the end of 
December. The seeds germinate in 10 to 12 days. In the 
4 Benares district, in some instances in January, but generally i ins 
¥ ebruary and March, the plants are mature, and the capsules 
for dcapification, ‘Phe capsules then.become slightly coated 
ver with a fine transparent white bloom, and are less yielding 
the touch when pressed. Another method of recognisii 
Bits is when juice exudes on breaking off the series 
ta formed on the apex of the capsule. When the pl 
in fal sie and pat before the. time: for the | 0 
