PAPAVERACE^E. 123 



instead of saliva, they reply that water would injure the opium. The opium 

 is then wrapped in dry leaves, and is fit for sale. The seed is not injured by 

 the extraction of the opium from the capsules. 



It appears, from the accounts of other travellers, that the process of ex- 

 traction varies in different countries ; thus, in Persia, Koempfer states that 

 the incisions are made transversely, with a many-bladed knife. In India, 

 according to Mr. Royle {Productive Resources of India), the Poppy not 

 being a native of tropical climates, is not cultivated during the hot months, 

 but from October to March. He further states, that the plant requires good 

 soil, and above all a careful management of the irrigation, as the strength of 

 the juice depends upon the quantity of moisture, and even that of the dew 

 which collects upon the capsule, — a deficiency of it preventing the proper 

 flow of the milky juice, whilst an excess, besides washing off the milk, sepa- 

 rates the soluble from the insoluble portions of the Opium. This is con- 

 firmed by Mr. Texier, who says that, in Turkey, a few days' rain in May and 

 June, when the capsules are formed, causes a great loss of Opium. 



An inspection of different kinds of Opium also shows that the modes of ex- 

 tracting it, and the subsequent manipulations it undergoes, vary according to 

 the place in which it is grown ; thus some of the Turkey Opiums have evi- 

 dently undergone no other preparation than that of agglutination, as they are 

 formed of small tears or drops, which would not be the case if prepared as 

 noticed by Mr. Texier. In Persia, according to Koempfer, it is pounded in a 

 mortar with water, and is well worked with a wQoden spatula, and hence the 

 masses present no appearance of drops or tears, but are of a uniform texture, 

 This is also the case with the Indian, which is subjected to additional mani 

 pulations before it is exposed for sale, which are thus described by Dr 

 O'Shaughnessy {Manual of Che?nistry), as practised at the government fac 

 tory at Behar : "The reception of Opium at the government factories com 

 mences with the hot season and terminates late in the rains. The drug 

 generally arrives in batches or chelans of several jars, the production of one 

 zillahy or its subordinate kotes or districts. The jars contain from twenty 

 seers to one maund, and it is no uncommon event to have five hundred of 

 these paraded in the morning for the inspection of the Opium agent and his 

 assistants. The first examination, and the resulting classification, are ex- 

 tremely simple; the examiners thrust a slit bamboo into the contents of the 

 jar, and judge from experience of the state of consistence, flavour, and colour 

 of the specimen. Marks are chalked on the jar, according to the degree of 

 each of these qualities, from 1. 1. 1. to 4. 4. 4. inclusive. 



Opium of the first class is of a fine chestnut colour, aromatic smell, and 

 dense consistence ; it is moderately ductile, and, when the mass is torn, 

 breaks with a deeply-notched fracture, with sharp, needle-like fibres, translu- 

 cent, and ruby red at the edges. 100 grains of this opium will yield to cold 

 distilled water an extract of from 35 to 45. If 100 grains be evaporated at 

 212°, it loses from 20 to 28 per cent, of water, giving a consistence of- from 

 72 to 80, the standard of the factory. 



The second class is of a darker colour, less agreeable smell, softer texture, 

 and often shows black specks on its surface and texture ; it is more ductile, 

 but breaks with a more even fracture. Its consistence ranges from 65 to 70, 

 and yields an extract averaging from 27 to 35 per cent. The third class is 

 black, pasty, of a very heavy smell, drops from the examining rod, gives off 

 from 40 to 50 per cent, of moisture on evaporation ; the extract is very dark 

 and deliquesces rapidly. The last class comprises all that is too bad to be 

 used in the manufacture of balls; it is of all colours, from deep black to 



