PAPAVER
somniferum.
MANUFAC
-
TURE.
Opium
Factory.
70
Extracted from the Dictionary of
Manufacture at Government Agencies.
drawers, and constantly turned over. Whilst keeping, it becomes coated
with a thin blackish crust, and deepens in colour according to the degree
of exposure to the air and light. From this general store (malkhana) , it is
taken daily, in quantities of about 250 maunds (of 82 2/7lb), for manufacture
into 'cakes. ' Various portions are selected (by test assay) so as to
ensure the mass being of the standard consistence, and these, weighing
exactly to seers (21lb) each, are thrown promiscuously into shallow
drawers, and rapidly and thoroughly kneaded up together. The mass is
filled into boxes, all of one size, from each of which a specimen is drawn
and
assayed.
T h e m e a n i s t a k e n a s t h e a v e r a g e . B e f o r e e v e n i n g , t h e s eb
o x e s a r e e m p t i e d i n t o w o o d e n v a t s ,2
0
f e e t l o n g , 3 ½ f e e t w i d e , a n d 1 ¼ f e e t
deep, and the opium is further kneaded and mixed by men wading knee-
deep through it from end to end, till the consistence appears uniform.
" Next morning the manufacture of the cakes commences. Each
cake-maker sits on a wooden stand, and is provided with a brass cup and
a graduated tin vessel. The 'leaves' for forming the shells of the cakes
are weighed out over-night, tied in bundles, and damped to make them
supple; and boxes are provided containing lewa, for agglutinating the
leaves' to form the shells of the cakes. This lewa consists of an admix-
-ture of inferior opium, pasewa, and the washings of vessels that have con
-tained good opium, forming a semi-fluid paste of such a consistence that
100 gr. evaporated to dryness at 93½° (200° F.) leave 53 gr . residue. The
lewa, 'l e a v e s , ' a n d o p i u m a r e a c c u r a t e l y w e i g h e d o u t f o r e a c h c a k e . I n
his brass cup, the operator rapidly forms the lower segment of the shell
of the cake, pasting ' leaf' over' leaf, ' till a thickness of ½ inch is reached,
and allowing a certain free portion of the most external 'leaves' to
hang down around and over the sides of the cup. The cake of opium
brought from the scales is now inserted, and held away from the sides
with the left hand, while one 'leaf ' after another is tucked in, well
smeared with lewa, and imbricated one over the other, till the circle is
complete. The free portions of the 'leaves' left hanging over are drawn
up tightly, and the opium cake is well compressed within the casing. A
small aperture remains at the top; this is closed by adding more 'leaves,'
and finally the cake is completed by applying a single large 'leaf' to
the entire exposed half. The finished ball or 'cake' resembles a Dutch
cheese in size and shape. It is rolled in a little finely powdered poppy
trash, which adheres to its surface, is at once placed in a small earthen
cup of the same dimensions as the brass cup used in shaping it, and is
carried out and exposed in small dishes to the sun. It is so exposed for
three days, and is meantime constantly turned and examined ; should it
become distended, it is opened to liberate the gas, and again tightly
closed. On the third evening, still in their earthen cups, the cakes are
placed on the 'frames, '—open battens allowing free circulation of air.
The operation thus far is terminated by the end of July. The constituents
of the average perfect cake are :—
Standard opium . . .
1 seer 7.50 chittacks
Lewa . . .
3.75
,,
' Leaves' (poppy petals)
. . .
5.43
,,
Poppy trash . . .
0.50
„
2 seers 1.18 chks.=4lb 3½oz.
" The number of cakes made by one man in a single day is about 70,
though some can turn out 90–100. After manufacture, the cakes require
much attention, and constant turning, on account of the mildew which
attacks them. This is removed by rolling and rubbing in dry poppy
-trash. Weak places are also looked for, and strengthened with extra