DRUGS  OF  THE  LEVANT. 
465 
NOTES  ON  SOME  OP  THE  DRUGS  OF  THE  LEVANT. 
Madder. — Asia  Minor,  at  the  present  time,  produces  annual- 
ly about  60,000  sacks  of  madder  roots,  the  average  weight  of 
which  is  usually  two  and  a  half  cwts.  each.  The  principal  dis- 
tricts of  production  are  Bakir,  Cayagik,  Demirgik,  Yordes,  Car- 
amania,  and  Allazata.  A  small  quantity  also  is  grown  in  Syria 
and  in  the  islands  of  Imbros  and  Cyprus.  The  qualities  most 
esteemed  are  the  Bakir  madder  roots.  These  are  generally  of 
a  bolder  and  brighter  color  than  the  others.  Those  of  Allaza- 
ta and  Cayagik  are  also  of  excellent  quality.  Syrian  and  Cy- 
prus are  the  most  inferior  kinds.  But  wherever  they  are  grown 
in  Turkey,  the  roots  are  forwarded  to  Smyrna,  where  they  are 
garbled  and  packed  by  means  of  hydraulic  presses  into  bales, 
which  weigh  from  six  to  seven  cwts.  each. 
The  crop  this  year  is  estimated  at  about  50,000  sacks,  but 
the  quantity  is  in  some  measure  regulated  by  the  prices. 
When  the  prices  are  low  the  growers  refuse  to  dig  up  the  roots, 
and  high  prices  will  sometimes  encourage  them  to  dig  when  the 
roots  are  only  two  years  old.  It  is,  however,  most  advisable  to 
allow  them  to  remain  in  the  ground  from  three  to  four  years, 
according  to  the  sort.  The  present  value  of  Bakir  roots  in  Smyr- 
na is  46s.  6d.  percwt.  and  of  other  kinds  from  39s.  to  45s.  Qd. 
per  cwt. 
Persian  Berries. — The  yellow  berries,  usually  termed  Persian 
berries,  are  grown  in  Csesarea  ;  the  cultivation,  however,  is  now 
nearly  abandoned,  and  in  a  few  years  the  article  will  probably 
disappear  from  commerce.  The  present  price  of  38s.  to  44s. 
per  cwt.  hardly  covers  the  expense  of  carriage  from  Csesarea, 
and  the  heavy  duties  and  tithes,  which,  although  supposed  to 
be  ad  valorem,  are  levied  upon  the  old  price  of  7/.  to  SI.  Some 
years  ago  well  grown  Persian  berries  were  worth  281.  per  cwt. 
The  quantity  still  brought  to  the  Smyrna  market  is  about  1500 
sacks  annually.  The  berries  are  now  collected  by  the  peasants 
on  account  of  the  landed  proprietors,  they  receiving  in  payment 
one  half  the  quantity. 
Opium. — This  narcotic  is  now  being  collected.  The  crop  this 
year  is  unusually  large,  and  is  expected  to  reach  3600  baskets, 
30 
