238 poppy. 



and other substances for culinary use *. They are also used 

 by the name of maw-seed, as a cooling food for singing-birds. 

 Linnaeus counted 32,000 seeds in one capsule. 



The leaves and stem of poppy afford a white opaque narcotic 

 juice, which is very abundant in the capsules ; these are conse- 

 quently the officinal parts of the plant. They are gathered as 

 they ripen -j", and are brought to market in bags, each contain- 

 ing about 3000 capsules, the average price of which is £4 10s. 

 The London market is chiefly supplied from Mitcham in Surrey. 



Opium is the juice obtained by incisions made in the capsules 

 of the poppy, inspissated in the open air. This operation is 

 performed upon the unripe capsules. In the East, the plants 

 are allowed to grow six or eight inches from each other, and 

 are plentifully supplied with water till they are six or eight 

 inches high, when a rich manure is applied. When the capsules 

 are a little more than half ripe, they begin to collect the opium, 

 by making at sun-set two or three longitudinal incisions from 

 below upwards, without penetrating the interior cavity. The 

 night-dews favour the exudation of the juice, which is collected 

 in the morning with a small iron scoop and deposited in an 

 earthen pot, where it is worked by wooden spatulas in the sun- 

 shine until it obtains a proper consistence. This process is re- 

 peated every second day as long as any juice will exude, and 

 the capsules are then allowed to ripen. The whole of the col- 

 lections are lastly formed into cakes, which are covered with 

 poppy or tobacco leaves. 



Opium J is brought to this country in chests from Turkey 

 and India. The Turkey or Persian opium, which is the best 

 kind, is found in the market in flattish cakes, sprinkled with 

 dried leaves and the capsules of some species of Rumex. Fo- 

 reign opium contains many impurities and is extensively adul- 

 terated. 



* " Spargens humida mella soporiferumque papaver.'* 



Virg. JEn. iv. v. 486. 



" Sardo cum melle papaver." 



Hor. de Arte Poet. v. 375. 

 •f- The capsules contain more of the proper juice before they are ripe, it 

 would therefore he desirable to gather them while yet green. 



X The average annual importation of opium into Great Britain exceeds 

 40,000 pounds, and the consumption is upwards of 16,500 pounds. 



