POPPY, Papaver somnifertun.
Khas-khas, . . ARAB. I Chasa chasa, . . SANSK.
Pasto, . . . . BENG. Apayanam, . . „ Yang-tsze-sub, . CHIN.
The poppy is cultivated in Europe, Egypt, Central Africa, Asia Minor, Persia, in British India, and in China, for its products, viz. the opium or concrete juice, its capsules or poppy heads, the seed, and poppy seed oil ; but of these opium is by far the most important, bringing to British India an annual revenue of six or seven millions sterling. The plant on its growth is liable to be attacked by several insects.
Opium is obtained from the poppy in Asia Minor, Egypt, Persia, S.E. of Asia, and in China. It is used as a narcotic and soporific, and morphia and other drugs are prepared from it. In medicine the capsules are employed in fomentations for inflamed surfaces, and a syrup is prepared from them to allay cough, etc. In Upper India an intoxicating liquor is prepared by heating the capsules of the poppy with jagari and water.
The seeds yield by expression about 50 per cent. of a bland and very valuable oil, of a pale
golden colour, fluid to within 10° of the freezing point of water. It dries easily, is inodorous, of agreeable flavour, and partially soluble in alcohol. By exposure to the rays of the sun in shallow vessels, the oil is rendered perfectly colourless. It is expressed in India by the common stone mill. Poppy seed is eaten by the natives made into sweetmeats, provided the opium has been extracted from the seed-vessel, otherwise it is bitter and narcotic, and under these circumstances the oil extracted is also bitter. The oil is used for cooking and burning. Poppy seed is being largely exported from India, chiefly to France and Great Britain.
Cwt. Rs. Cwt. Rs.
1874-75, 402,296 22,12,589 1878-79, 249,072 16,60,749 1875-76, 253,326 13,54,194 1879-80, 530,382 37,51,347 1876-77, 351,133 18,43,647 1880-81, 579,544 39,76,254 1877-78, 449,394 26,45,257 1881-82, 603,289 39,04,065 See Chandoo ; Opium ; Papaver.