and of preparing opium from it. 1/3 



The operation for gathering cannot be repeated with advan- 

 tage oftener than three times a week, upon the same capsules, 

 for no more juice will flow from one wound than what may be 

 collected immediately, and a certain time must elapse before the 

 plant forms more juice. But it is evident a number of hands 

 may be kept constantly employed upon a large field, till the plants 

 cease to give out juice. 



One acre will keep twelve gatherers and six cutters constantly 

 employed for thirty days. That number can only gather a third 

 part of an acre in one day, and by the time they have gone through 

 the crop, the capsules at that place where they began to gather, 

 will be ready for the operation being repeated. So that when 

 the milky juice ceases to flow, five operations as already described 

 will Jiave been made upon eaoh capsule. 



Supposing twelve gatherers to work ten hours in the day, and 

 that each gathers two ounces and a half, or as much of the juice 

 as will make that quantity of solid opium; in thirty days they 

 will gather fifty-six pounds of opium from one acre. 



One acre of poppies cultivated according to my method, will 

 yield 1000 lb. of seed, and this quantity of seed will give by ex- 

 pression 375 lb. of oil. 



Although the produce of such a crop has not yet been clearly 

 ascertained upon a large scale, the following may be taken as 

 the estimate of one acre, from what has actually been produced 

 in my experiment. 



Estimated value of the produce of one acre. 



56 lb. opium, at 3(')S. . , . . . . 



36 bolls early potatoes, at 9As. 



250 lb. of oil, cold drawn, at \s. 6d. 



125 lb. ditto, warm, at 6d. . . . . . . 



500 oil cakes, at ISs. per 100 



Expenses . . 



Total of profit 

 Or it maybe taken this way: 

 561b. opium, at 17^. 6d. 

 36 bolls of potatoes, at 24^. . . , 



250 lb. of oil, cold drawn, at Is. 6d. . 



125 lb. ditto, warm, at 6^. 

 500 oil cakes, at I85. per 100 . . 



Expenses 



Profit .. .. 58 11 6 



Opium 



