80 | PAPAVERACEA. 
and placed in an earthen cup of the same size as the mould in 
which it was originally made, and exposed to the sun; this — 
exposure iscontinued for two or three days, the cakes being — 
constantly turned and carefully examined. One man assisted a 
by a child will turn out about 70 cakes in four hours, though © 
some can turn out 90 to 100. After having dried the cakes 
partially by exposure to the sun, they are removed, still in thin 
earthen cups, to the cake godowns, where th ey are kept on racks, : 
and constantly turned and rubbed with dry trash. In September 
the cakes are finished at the Benares Factory by placing a fine’ 
Ohandnt leaf* on each, weighing ‘43 of a chittack with ‘5 ofa 
chittack of lewa. At this period all bulged and grub-eaten 
shells, &c., are repaired, By Octobert they are dry. to the 
touch, and are packed in chests, furnished with a double tier of 
wooden partitions, each tier with twenty square compartments 
for the reception of as many cakes, the cakes being steadied 
and lightly packed round with trash, All the joins in the box 
are secured by cloth and pitch, and a cover of coarse canvas 
sewn on.{ ee svete ae 
_ Abkart opium is the opium prepared for local consumption ; 
it is pure opium dried by exposure to the sun in shallow 
wooden trays, with constant stirring, until its consistence is 
90°; it is then accurately weighed into quantities of one seer, 
which are pressed into square blocks ; the blocks are wrapped, 
in Nipal paper,. slightly oiled with poppy oil, and packed in 
_ boxes containing 60 ¢akes,. 
Medjcinal opium is pure opium of good colour and aroma, 
and free from pasewha. It is reduced to powder by being 
_ placed on plates which are heated on a steam ‘table, and the — 
3 ' bag A person accustomed to handle Indian opium can, by the appearance 
oe imparted to a Benares cake by this last leaf, distinguish it froma Patna one. 
_-  -¥ Theoretical weight ofa Benares cake fit for packing : Standard opium in 
d take at 70°, 1 seer 7°5 chittacks ; Opium in Jewa, 3°75 chittacks; Leaves, 
(5:43 chittacks; Fine trash, °5 chittacks. Bo 
_ A packed chest of Benares 
and contains 40 cakes, 
opium weighs 3 maunds 26 seers 1 chitta 
weighing on the average 2 maunds 8 chittacks.. 
