Opium has been produced in Algeria. The cultivation of the poppy is being established in E. Africa ; 50,000 acres of land in the Mozambique or Zambezi territory have been sown with the best Malwa seed, and a 12 years' monopoly has been granted to the cultivators. The plants thrive well, and their fruits are much larger than in India. In several of the United States, notably Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee, and Philadelphia, the culture of the opium-poppy has been initiated. The alluvial soils are best. The seed is sown in drills 3 ft. apart, and 12-18 in. between the plants, in July-August, the winter having no injurious effect (in Virginia). The ultimate success of the industry seems to be regarded as certain by American agriculturists, an excellent product having been obtained. The Australian climate seems very well adapted to the growth of the poppy, and opium of superior quality has been produced in Victoria; in 1878-9, 3 acres were occupied by this crop, yielding 60,000 heads.
Production and Commerce.—Yet in spite of the wide adaptability of the plant, and the still wider employment of its valuable products, the cultivation has become of importance only in those countries which afford land and labour in abundance and cheapness, and where the narcotic is in popular use as such. Thus it happens that the commercial production of opium is limited to Asia Minor, Persia, India, China, and Egypt. As the varieties of poppy grown, the modes of cultivation of the plant, and the proparation and quality of the narcotic product, vary in these several countries, it will be convenient to consider each separately in the order just mentioned.
lu Asia Minor.—The poppy cultivated in Asiatic Turkey is var. $. glabrum ; its flowers are commonly purplish, but occasionally white, and its seeds are coloured white to dark-violet. The crop is raised both on the elevated and on the lower lands. None is more uncertain, spring frosts, droughts, and locusts causing it frequent injury, and sometimes complete destruction. The soil chosen must be naturally rich and moist ; large quantities of manure arc required, and the land is frequently ploughed till it has attained a thoroughly pulvcrulent condition. Moisture is indis pensable, but is injurious when in excess. Consequently, after A, wet winter, the best crops are got on the hilly grounds ; in a dry season, ou the plains. The seed, mixed with dry sand to avoid casting it too thickly, is sown broadcast. The sowings take place at three distinct periods, the objects being to obviate the chance of a total failure of the crop, and to ensure different portions of the crop maturing in succession. Without the latter precaution, the labour-supply would he quite insufficient; and even in spite of it, quantities of the drug are wasted when the crop is a full one.
The first and principal sowing, to which somewhat more than a half of the total available land is devoted, usually begins after the first winter rains, varying from October till November, and is sometimes postponed even later ou iu the high lands. This sowing is termed giuzrnaly, or "winter sowing," and affords the hardiest plants, from their having greater time to establish themselves. In
fact, no subsequent sowings compensate for the loss of this crop. A second sowing takes place in Deeember-January, should the weather be sufficiently mild to encourage it. In favourable years, the returns from this sowing (kishmaly) nearly equal those from the winter sowing ; but they arc so uncertain that but little reliance can be placed on them. A third and important sowing is per formed in the spring, February-Mareh. Land is always reserved for this, the yazmaly, as a means of partially redeeming any loss entailed by the failure of the giazmaly ; but exceptionally favourable weather is required to make it a success. When delayed by the weather till March-April, it is an almost certain failure. The quantity of seed required is estimated at 4.-;- eke (say f-1 lb.) for every toloom (1600 sq. yd.). After sowing, the land is harrowed by means of the rough native implement, consisting of a few planks fastened together, and weighted by the driver standing upon it. In the early spring, when the plants of the giuzmaly have acquired some strength, hoeing and weeding commence, and are continued till the flowering season. These operations devolve upon the women and children of the proprietor, almost the whole cultivation of opium in Asia Minor being in the hands of a landed peasantry.
By about the end of May, the plants in the low lands arrive at maturity, and the flowers expand ; on the uplands, this does not happen till July, owing to a reduced temperature. Gentle showers at this critical period greatly increase the yield of opium. The operation of extracting the latter from the capsules or " heads " of the plant commences when these are matured. This con dition is reached a few days after the petals of the flowers have fallen off, and is further marked by the capsules changing to a lighter green hue. While the capsules are still quite green, and at that time about lk in. in diameter, they are subjected to incision for the purpose of liberating the juice. The operation is performed by drawing a knife around the head, generally at about the centre, and extending horizontally over about y of the circumference, or carried spirally till it overlaps itself by about f. This horizontal (or nearly so) incision (Fig. 998) is adopted as affording less trouble in scraping off the subsequent exudation, and some assert that it cuts the greatest number of the vessels whence the exudation takes place, though experiment seems to indicate that no essential difference in the quantity of the product can be detected from the various systems of cutting. In all cases, great nicety is required to prevent the knife penetrating the interior coating of the capsule, and causing some of the juice to flow inside and be lost. The in cisions are made after the heat of the day ; on the following morning, the cap sules are found covered with the exuded juice. If there has been heavy dew during the night, the yield is greater, but the product is weaker and of dark colour ; if dew has been wanting, the yield is less, but the colour is lighter.