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the Custom's returns at £91,455 was imported during 1871 

 into Victoria, and this does not provide for a large por- 

 tion of Morphia used in medicine. Both the black and pale 

 seeded varieties can be used for the production of Opium. 

 The return of Poppy-culture, whether for opium or for oil, 

 is within a few months. Our milder and somewhat humid 

 open forest tracts proved most productive for obtaining 

 opium from this plant ; but it can be reared also in colder 

 localities, good Opium, rich in Morphia, having even been 

 obtained in Middle Europe and the northern United States, 

 the summers there being sufficiently long to ripen the Poppy 

 with a well elaborated sap. The Morphia contents in 

 Opium from Gripps Land was at an average somewhat over 

 10 per cent. Opium was prepared in our Botanic G-arden 

 for the Exhibition of 1866 ; but particularly Mr. J. Bosisto 

 and Mr. J. Hood have given to this branch of rural industry 

 here commercial dimensions. The Smyrna variety is partic- 

 ularly desirable for Opium ; it enables the cultivator to get 

 from 40 lbs. to 75 lbs. of Opium from an acre, generally worth 

 30s. to 35s. per pound. The ground for poppy-culture must 

 be naturally rich, or otherwise be well manured ; dressing 

 with ashes increases the fecundity of the plant. The seed, 

 about 9 lbs. to an acre, is generally sown broadcast, mixed 

 with sand. In the most favorable places as many as three 

 crops are obtained during a season. The collecting of the 

 Opium, which consists merely of the indurating sap of the 

 seed-vessels, is commenced a few days after the lapse of the 

 petals. Superficial, horizontal or diagonal incisions are 

 made into the capsules as they successively advance to 

 maturity. This operation is best performed in the after- 

 noons and evenings, and requires no laborious toil. The 

 milky opium-sap thus directed outward, is scraped off next 

 morning into a shallow cup, and allowed to dry on a place 

 away from sunlight ; it may also be placed on Poppy-leaves. 

 Erom one to six successive incisions are made to exhaust 

 the sap, according to season, weather, locality or the knife- 

 like instrument employed. In the Department of Somme 

 (Erance) alone Opium to the value of £70,000 annually is 

 produced, and poppy-seed to the value of £170,000. Our 



