17 
Mr Young on the Preparation Poppy Oil, 
between the rows of poppies, and eight inches between the pop- 
py plants : Three feet between each double row of poppies oc- 
cupied by one row of early potatoes. 
The first produced only one capsule, the second two, and the 
third produced, upon an average, four full-grown capsules; 
some of the last had seven or eight capsules. 
The seed of the poppy comes to maturity after the extraction 
of the opium. And when it is considered that it yields more 
than a third part of its weight of oil, and that a crop of early 
potatoes, equal to 36 bolls per acre, can be raised by the same 
culture upon the same space of ground, with a crop of opium 
equal to 56 lb., there is scarcely any plan that can be devised 
which would prove equally profitable to the cultivator, or more 
beneficial to the community. 
One acre of poppies cultivated in wide drills, as I have al- 
ready described, will produce, in a good season, 1000 lb. of 
seed, which will give by expression 375 lb. of oil. 
After the opium harvest is over, the seeds will be ready for 
gathering about the end of August. This is to be done by 
drawing the entire plants out of the ground, binding a sufficient 
number together, and placing them against each other, in the 
manner of corn-sheaves, and letting the whole remain in the 
field a few days, until they are perfectly dry ; then laying the 
sheaves upon a large cloth, bruise the capsules and shake out 
the seed, which is afterwards to be passed through a sieve of a 
proper size. 
It is advisable to extract the oil as soon after the harvest as 
possible, as the seeds will yield a larger quantity than when long 
kept ; besides, when the seed is long kept, the oil will neither 
be so good nor so well coloured. It is of the utmost importance 
that mill, press and bags, be perfectly clean and pure. 
The first oil is destined for the use of families ; this is cold 
drawn, as any degree of warmth injures the flavour. After as 
much is extracted in this manner as possible, a considerable 
quantity, of inferior quality, is obtained, by heating the cakes, 
and pressing them a second time. 
That which is at first expressed is of a pale colour ; is pecu- 
liarly bland and soft ; has a flavour approaching that of the al- 
mond oil ; it is used' for salads and other domestic purposes, 
either alone or mixed with olive oil. , Should the latter be stale 
VOL. II. NO. 3. JANUAKY 1820. 
B 
