p O;P P Y . 



Intermediate operations. 



Varieties. None. 



Poppy i s often sown after maize or kdkun. The ground is heavily 



manured (200 maunds to the acre) and watered pre- 



Preparation of land manure. . , , . , ., , . _ n 



viously to sowing (paren), the soil being carefully 



pulverised. Poppy may be sown in the same soil every year, as animal manure 

 and decayed vegetable matter restores it (Opium Manual). Goat and sheep 

 dung is very beneficial. 



The seed is sown broadcast, a smoothening log run over, and the watering 

 beds made (6| by 7^ feet) larger than for other crops, 

 to allow of the irrigation being more gradual. 



Poppy requires three or four waterings and at least three weedings. The 

 first weeding is carefully done by a large number of 

 men, estimated from 30 to 50 to an acre : each weed is 

 picked with the fingers (chutki se). The other weedings are done with the hoe 

 by 12 to 16 men per acre. 



First the petals are taken off by the hand formed like a tube and run up 

 the plant ; they are not pulled off. Then in one-third of 

 the field incisions are made in the poppy heads and the 

 exuded juice is scraped off next morning up to noon. For the remainder of the 

 day a second third is so treated, and so on in rotation, each head being cut twice, 

 thrice, or even four times. Men employed in this get two annas a day: the labourer 

 must be more or less skilled, as the outer rind (pericarp) only must be cut. 

 Finally the heads are cut off by the women of the family and stored till dry, 

 when they are broken and the seeds separated from the husk. 



Varies according to season from eight to ten seers 

 per acre. To each five seers opium three maunds seed. 

 The juice is collected in earthen pots, and is the 

 opium of commerce. 



The petals are made into flat cakes (chapattis} and are used for packing 

 the opium. 



Harvest. 



Outturn. 



Uses. 



