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Show Raw Opium From the Poppy. IB Tho preparation of "raw" opium ln tho jH -north of India is, according to tha Trop- i H lcnl Agriculturist, carried out as follows: IIM In cFbruars as o. rule the Juice Is gath- K! ercd, the popps plant being then in full ill'' flower and of a height of thre or four feet, IBM, each stem having from two to fivo cap- mjl sules of the slzo of a duck's egg. Befcro jl the capsules are pierced tho fallen petals UnW of tho fiowers are carefully gathered and IjE sorted, according to condition, ln threo i IK grades, and then aro heated ovor a slow I gK fire and formed Into thin cakes, to be JEg, used for tho covering of the drug when M, collected. 11 IB The piercing of tho pods requires great , IIW skill and upon It largels' depends tho yield. Mm The opium farmer and his assistants each in carrs a small lancelike tool, which has 111 three or four short, sharp prongs, and ill with this a half dozen perpendicular cuts M aro mare In each capsule or seed of tho EM poppv. The Julco begins to flow at onco, Tl but quickly congeals. Tho das after, tho 111 thickened Julco Is carefully gathered, be- M lug scraped off with a small Iron trowol. M nnd the mass thus gathered Is put Into an m earthen vessel and kept carefully stirred m lor a month or more, great care being II taken to havo It well aired, but not ex- fl posed to the sun. fl Tho material is now examined by export testers, who determlno its grado or quail- U tS. and then tho whole is put Into a large I bax, whero It Is worked very much in the 1 1 camo fashion as baker's doueh, to plve It 1 1 the required conslstcncs- Tho opium Is 1 1 now made Into balls for export. Tho na- ' tl lives wade about In tho large vats con- n talnlng the paste-llko drug and hand It out 11 to hundreds of ball-makers sitting around the room. Every- rnan has a spherical 111 brass cup. lined with the poppy fiowor pet- als. before him. Into this Is pressed tho iU regulation quantlts of opium. From this brasd cup. when properly pressed, tho MM opium ball Is transferred to another man. TIB who gives It a coating of clas. This gives IffH tho drug, when ready for shipment, tho appearance of a fair-sized camion ball. Mi When well prepared In this manner tho JHW opium will keep its properties for fifteen S'ears or more Beforo It can be used, tho fllH opium balls havo to be broken up and further treated. MM |