ADVANTAGES <>K 1I1K citnl- 



limit opium is much lower in opium-growing than in non-opiunvgrowing 

 districts a circumstance explained on the supposition that the cultivator* 

 iiUvjivs retain a portion of their prodm.- for thi-ir own consumption and 

 that of their friends. This (l.-<lu<-ti..n 1m, tln-refore seemed t justify the 

 belief that an average yield of 9 seen (18 Ib.) to the acre would 

 perhaps be more like that actually attained in good seasons. Mr. W. B. 

 Johnson of Patna, who wrote an account of the cultivation of the poppy, 

 _'iviMi as an appendix to Sir W. O'Shaughnessy's Bengal Dispensatory 

 (1841, app., 749), puts, however, the yield still higher, viz. 15 seers per 

 bigha, and the total value of the crop at Rs. 80. The great advantages of 

 1 ln> crop are advances made free of interest ; the wells or other permanent 

 improvements that become possible ; an absolutely certain market ; no 

 fear of sudden changes in price or demand and prompt payment for produce ; 

 uhilc in times of scarcity and famine it is an invaluable source of income. 



Cultivation in Bengal and the United Provinces. The opium year 

 is considered to commence in September. It is customary to follow poppy 

 after Indian corn or other kharif crops, the soil being at once taken in hand 

 after the removal of the corn. It is ploughed at an interval of every ten 

 days till the middle of October, when the sowing commences and may be 

 extended to the middle of November. Land in the immediate vicinity 

 of the village or homestead is selected for the crop on account of its being 

 higher, usually more richly manured and more easily supervised. It 

 requires a rich dark, sandy loam. The soil is often specially manured 

 to'jthe limits of the cultivator's resources frequently 150 to 200 maunds 

 of farm-yard manure. Penning sheep and goats on the field is re- 

 garded as one of the most satisfactory methods. Nitrate of potash is 

 highly commended as a mineral manure. When top-dressed to the 

 extent desired or possible, it is next partitioned off into oblong plots 6 or 

 8 by 4 feet for convenience of weeding and irrigation. The seed is usually 

 specially selected from extra large or highly productive capsules. The 

 advantage of the exchange of seed is also fully recognised, and the seed 

 from certain localities is regarded as specially good. Still, there are no 

 expert seed-producers, and much therefore depends on the integrity of the 

 person with whom the exchange is made. 



The day the seed is sown the land is well watered, and the next the 

 clods on the surface are carefully broken. Six pounds are considered 

 sufficient for a bigha of land (3,025 sq. yards). The seed is often soaked 

 in water the night before sowing, and for this purpose some cultivators 

 use a liquid manure. About a week after the plants shoot up, and 

 when about 6 inches high the plots are weeded and thinned. Vigorous 

 plants only are retained, and in the final condition these should not be 

 closer than 7 to 8 inches each way. 



Irrigation commences as soon as the plants appear, and resowing made 

 in places where failure seems indicated. At regular intervals right up to 

 the maturing of the fruit, flooding of the plots must be continued, but care 

 has to be taken that the plants are never submerged or kept in stagnant 

 water. Where subsoil moisture exists, watering may be delayed until 

 December, and with certain soils may not be necessary at all. 



^lowering and Collection. -The plants take from 75 to 80 days until full 

 flowering can be said to have been attained. The petals, which are four 

 in number, are removed the third day after expansion. These are carefully 

 preserved and are the " Flower Leaves " of the casing employed with the 



853 



PAPAVER 

 80MNIFERUM 

 Cultivation 

 Bengal 



TMdtoAcr*. 



Hun Kill- 



BeMOfM. 



Mfe 



Manure. 



Selection an-i 

 Exchange of 



IN :. 



Sowing. 



\S\vi.::,?. 



Irrigation. 



Collection, 



