3 4
Extracted from the Dictionary of
PAP AVER
somniferum.
Poppy cultivation
CULTIVATION
Races.
Kalodanthi.
2nd, "Kalodanthi, " or Black-stalked poppy.—" This is a compact
branchy plant of a somewhat dwarfer habit than any of our other local
varieties. It is readily distinguished from these by the stem and flower
stalks acquiring a purply-black colour shortly after the fall of the flower,
and before the maturation of the capsule. The latter are rather small,
globose or roundish-oblong, glaucous, and from 1¾ to 2 inches long by
1 ½
to 2 in diameter. It is an excellent variety, though not so copious a drug- -
producer—on the lands here at least—as the teyleah variety. It would
also appear to produce a drug less rich in alkaloids than some of the
others, as in a sample analysed for me by Dr. Durant the total alkaloids
at 70º consistence, was only 6·38, of which 2·98, however, was morphine."
Monaria. 3rd, " Monaria"—" A local variety so-called, and sent to me in the
s e a s o n o f 1 8 7 3 – 7 4 b y t h e S u b - D e p u t y O p i u m A g e n t o f P a t n a . I t i s d i s -
-
tinguished by its large, round or spherical, i .e., vertically depressed,
capsules (from 2 to 2¼ inches by 2¼ to 2½ in diameter), covered with a fine
white powdery matter. The better capsules afford a fairly copious dis
-
charge of drug to from five to nine incisions; but crops from the ordinary
unselected seeds of the district cover a very large percentage of such as
are wholly exhausted of their drug by the third or fourth incision. It
would appear, according to the analysis of the sample sent by me to
Dr. Durant, to be less than any of our other varieties suitable for officinal
use, as deficient in alkaloid matters, the total narcotine and morphine
being only 6·10 per cent. Of this. however. 2·88 consist of the latter."
Teyleah. 4th, Teyleah, or Sabza-dherri.—"This is perhaps the most copious
drug-producing variety of the opium poppy. Unfortunately it is far less
generally cultivated than some of the other varieties, especially the sufaid
-
dherri: No. 6 of this list. In habit it is very similar to the latter variety,
but the capsules are ovate-oblong (from 2 to 2½ inches long by 1¼ to
2
inches broad) and of a dull-green colour, destitute of the fine white
powdery matter of the above. It appears, however, to produce a drug
less rich in alkaloids than that of some of the other varieties, as the sample
analysed for me by Dr. Durant contained only 6·57 per cent., of which
3·16 was morphia. It has all the physical characters, however, of a first-
lass commercial article, and its comparative paucity in alkaloids does not
at all lessen its value in the China market."
Kutila. 5th, "Kutila," or "kat-patta."—" This is a very distinct variety, and
readily distinguished by its foliage being deeply cut into less or more
narrow segments. The plant is of robust habit, the main stem giving off
upwards a few simple branches ; the leaves thick-textured, of a glaucous
or pale sea-green colour, oblong-ovate, from 5 to 9 inches long by 4 to 5
inches broad, and bipinnately cut into narrow and bluntish segments ; the
capsules 2 to 2½ inches long by 1½ to 2 inches broad, oblong or ovate-
oblong, and covered with a fine white powdery matter. This variety is
decidedly worthy of a more extended cultivation. As I will subsequently
show, it is less liable to be seriously infected with the poppy-mould than
any of the other varieties commonly cultivated. Again, the thick and
comparatively firm texture of the leaves, divided as they are (nearly to the
mid-rib and primary veins) into narrow segments, enables it to withstand
hailstorms of force sufficient to wholly mince the broad and but slightly
divided foliage of the other varieties. It is a fairly copious drug-producer,
and in the sample analysed for me by Dr. Durant the total alkaloids was
7·21 per cent., of which 3·56, or nearly half. was morphia."
Sabøa kutila. 6th, "Sabza kutila."—" This is a very rare variety as yet, but, like
the other green-capsuled sorts, promises to be a copious drug-producer.
It is only distinguished from the preceding variety by its capsules, which
are of a dull-green colour, entirely void of the fine powdery matter which
covers the capsules of that variety. I first observed a single slender speci-