43^  The  Poppy  and  Opium  in  Persia.    { AmAUJgT{Pi£m' 
The  opium  poppy  {Papaver  somnifermn)  is  by  no  means  difficult 
to  cultivate ;  but  to  bring  it  to  a  state  of  maturity  to  produce  opium 
requires  very  considerable  knowledge  and  unremitting  care  and  at- 
tention. Indeed,  it  seems  almost  impossible  without  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  state  of  the  plant  at  its  various  stages,  and  an 
unmistakable  forecast  of  the  weather,  especially  toward  the  time 
when  the  juice  has  to  be  collected,  to  even  partially  succeed. 
All  Persian  opium  is  cultivated  on  irrigated  land  ;  consequently, 
the  moisture  is  practically  under  the  farmer's  control.  This  is  most 
important,  as  rain,  when  the  plant  is  nearly  at  maturity,  would  be 
certain  to  destroy  the  opium  elements.  The  quantity  of  moisture 
has  to  be  most  carefully  regulated,  except  in  the  winter,  when  the 
plant  is  in  a  kind  of  quiescent  state  and  independent  of  external 
influences. 
The  great  difficulty  which  meets  the  amateur  grower  is  to  know 
the  exact  time  when  the  plant  arrives  at  maturity  ;  for  without  this 
knowledge  all  his  efforts  will  be  frustrated  and  his  outlay  dissipated. 
All  the  plants  on  a  plot  will  not  mature  at  the  same  time,  but 
each  one  has  to  be  examined  separately.  If  the  incision  for  extract- 
ing  the  opium  is  made  too  early  in  the  plant,  nothing  but  a  white 
sap  will  exude,  and  if  too  late,  the  juice  will  have  dried  up. 
The  following  instructions,  except  when  interfered  with  by  cli- 
matic influences,  should  be  carefully  observed  : 
(1)  Land  intended  for  the  opium  crop  should  be  plowed  up  in 
July,  in  order  to  free  it  as  much  as  possible  from  weeds  before  sow- 
ing the  seed. 
(2)  On  irrigated  lands  (which  are  the  best  adapted  for  this  crop), 
the  whole  surface  must  be  laid  out  in  terraces,  larger  or  smaller  as 
the  land  is  flat  or  hilly,  and  each  one  must  be  surrounded  by  a  small 
bank,  say  6  inches  high,  so  as  to  preserve  a  smooth  and  level  sur- 
face, in  order  that  the  water  may  be  turned  on  to  an  even  depth.  I 
have  great  doubts  whether  rain-watered  land  could  be  depended 
upon  for  the  regular  supply  of  moisture. 
(3)  The  seed  is  sown  broadcast,  in  September  and  October,  on  a 
level  surface,  and  not  on  ridges.  Previous  to  the  sowing,  the 
ground  is  cleared  of  stones  and  rubbish,  as  the  plant  can  be  easily 
obstructed  in  its  growth. 
(4)  When  the  seed  is  sown  the  water  is  turned  on,  and  the  ground 
is  allowed  to  remain  without  any  further  operation  for  two  or  three 
