CRUDE OPIUM AND PA8EWA 



PAPAVER 



OPIUM 

 Collection 



rwd 





Kaffa. 

 Yield. 



Pasewa. 



iutt -rvals of two or throe days, but sometime* a single scratching may 

 exhaust tin- drug, while occasionally an extra fine capsule may afford eight 

 or even ten discharges. Tin- o].nuu from early sowings is thin but 

 plentiful, and that from later sowings smntv hut <>f a ln^h consistence. 

 The fit-Id is usually divided into ci-ruin portions, each taken in 

 and scratched in one day, the others in succession and rotation until the 

 entire crop has been collected. This ensures regular and systematic 

 t dm;'.: which would not be attained by promiscuous work. 

 The dru-4 formed is eollected in the early morning on the day foi 

 the scratching. The juice adhering to the incisions is scraped off with 

 .t small trou el-shaped scoop of thin iron called the telwah. On the scoop 

 heinu' tilled the drug is transferred to a metal or earthen vessel and con- 

 \vved to the farmer's house for further manipulation. It is stored in an 

 earthen pan tilted to one side so as to allow the liquid pasewa to drain from 

 the more solid extract. In Benares the standard of good-quality crude 

 opium is 70 per cent, opium, 30 per cent, fluid. The pasewa is decanted 

 from time to time into another vessel, and the opium turned over as 

 ion arises to facilitate the draining of! of the pasewa. In the Bengal 

 agency the standard is a little higher, viz. 75 per cent, opium, and to 

 obtain this condition the opium is dried by being placed on a cloth tied over 

 the mouth of an earthen pot. The required further draining away of the 

 pasewa takes place, but as the cloth gets impregnated with opium it comes 

 to possess a money value, and is purchased at the factory under the name of 

 kaffd (kaphd). The average yield for each scarification is about 10 grains, 

 and a healthy plant after five to eight scratchings may yield 75 grains in all. 



2. Pasewa. This is the dark coffee-coloured fluid (as mentioned above) 

 that drains from the crude opium in the process of drying. The chief 

 purpose in removing this substance is to prevent the physical depreciation 

 which its presence effects on the drug, viz. it turns it black and makes it 

 liquid. Pasewa, however, consists of the most soluble of the opium prin- 

 ciples dissolved in dew or moisture absorbed from the atmosphere. It has 

 a peculiar smell, is strongly acid, and contains meconic acid, resin, morphia 

 and narcotine. It is less abundant during westerly winds or in the absence 

 of dews at night. 



3. Leaves (Petals). As already mentioned, the flowering season is 

 January to March. But here again considerable skill is required, since 

 if plucked off before they are ripe, the capsule afterwards contains much 

 less opium than if the petals be allowed to fully mature. The hand is 

 made to gently encircle the base of the flower, then drawn upwards, when, 



if properly matured, the petals will come away naturally. A day is selected Dry we*tbr. 



for collection of petals when they are not moist, as otherwise they would 



get discoloured. The petals are then made into what is technically called 



" leaves." For this purpose an earthen plate is placed over a slow fire, 



and over it is spread a handful of petals. These are then covered over 



with a damp cloth and pad until the steam from the cloth causes the petals stemming. 



to adhere together. The thin cake thus formed is turned over and the 



damp pressure repeated to ensure the union of the petals on both surfaces. 



When fresh they have a pleasant aroma, said to be imparted to the opium 



for which they are subsequently employed as the packing material. There 



are various grades or qualities of these petal cakes recognised and sold, 



separately packed in specially prepared baskets. These realise Rs. 10, 



Rs. 7 and Rs. 5 a maund according to quality. 



855 



Leaves. 



A: .. 



