80 NOTES ON THE AGRICULTURE, 



f In the Harbin district the poppy is not cultivated, the 

 soil being unfavourable. In the district of Ashiho poppy 

 fields are only seen in the mountainous part. At Maoershan 

 small fields of poppy are cultivated on the hill-sides, some 

 distance from the station. From Maoershan to Imienpo and 

 from Imienpo to the valley of the Mutankiang river poppy is 

 cultivated very largely on hill-sides. Poppy is also grown on 

 the mountains along the Mutankiang river. The district 

 between the Mutankiang station and Suifenho or Pograni- 

 tchnaia is the largest poppy district in North Manchuria. 

 The largest poppy fields ai'e situated by the Mutankiang, 

 Eho, Siaosuifeng and Silinho stations. It is estimated that 

 in 1920 in this district 27,000 to 30,000 acres were under 

 poppy. 



At Eho station poppy fields are seen 300 feet from the 

 railway line. The poppy plant here is not only cultivated 

 near the railway, but on all the mountains near by. 



The poppy planters camouflage their fields by planting 

 hemp, maize and kaoliang round them, or the poppy is 

 intermingled with the maize plants. In river valleys and on 

 hill-sides, positions protected from strong winds, are chosen 

 for poppy fields. Poppy is sown also' on sloping valleys the 

 plants laid out in fields resembling wide ribbons. 



Poppy fields occupy the most fertile soil. Poppy is 

 planted on virgin soil after which soja beans or maize are 

 sown. On such land poppy is grown for 1, 2, 3 or 4 years 

 in succession, such crude methods actually diminish the 

 producing value of the soil, but in some places alternate 

 crops are planted, and some such system as the following 

 is adopted: 1st year, beans; 2nd year, poppy; 3rd year, 

 maize, etc. Chinese never plant poppy on loamy soil. 



The ground for the poppy is prepared in spring or in 

 autumn. In autumn, as soon as the summer crop has been 

 reaped, the land is ploughed, the roots and weeds are 

 gathered and burnt and the ashes scattered over the ground. 

 The seeds are sown 50-54 cm. apart during the middle or 

 end of October, or, in spring during the middle of March or 

 the beginning of April. In some parts poppy is sown in the 

 autumn and sometimes in spring and in the same field maize 

 is planted. Poppy is also sown in May and when planted 

 in this month it sprouts in June, but the earlier sowing 

 produces the hardier plant. 



The seeds are sown, by hand or by a kind of drill made 

 from a tin pot. The seeds thus sown are then simply trod 

 upon by foot. Poppy begins to sprout in the early spring. 

 In May, when the plants are a few inches high, the rows 

 are thinned so as to leave a free passage between. The 



