the Economic Products of India.
N.-W. Provinces & Oudh.
49
PAPAVER
somniferum.
R a. p.
Making water beds .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
0 3 0
Watering (six times)
9 8 0
Weeding (four times).
.
.
.
.
.
. 8 0 0
Harvesting (8 coolies at 2 annas a day for 15 days)
.
.
1 5 0 0
.
.
* Manure (2oo maunds; 2/3rds of cost). 4 0 0
.
.
.
* Rent (2/3rds of annual) . . . .
38 1 0 4 0 0
0
ToTAL
. 48 4 0 "
CULTIVATION
in
N.-W. P.
&amp Oudh.
* O n l y 2 / 3 r d s o f t h e c o s t o f m a n u r e a n d o f t h e a n n u a l r e n t a r e c h a r g e d , s i n c e a t l e a s t
1 / 3 r d o f e a c h m u s t b e d e b i t e d t o t h e c r o p o f m a i z e w h i c h n e a r l y a l w a y s p r e c e d e s o p i u m
in the kharif.
I I I . – M A L W A & O T H E R N A T I V E S T A T E S .
Dr. Impey who resided for some years in Malwa furnishes useful
information on the system of poppy cultivation which he witnessed. He
writes : - " For the successful cultivation of opium, a mild climate, plenti
-ful irrigation, a rich soil, and diligent husbandry, are indispensable. In
reference to the first of these, Malwa is placed most favourably. The
country is, in general, from 1,300 to 2,000 feet above the level of the sea;
the mean temperature is moderate, and range of the thermometer small.
Opium is always cultivated in ground near a tank or running stream, so
as to be insured at all times of an abundant supply of water. The rich
black loam supposed to be produced by the decomposition of trap, and
known by t he name of ' Cot t on soi l , ' i s preferred for opi um ; t hough
fertile and rich enough to produce thirty successive crops of wheat without
fallowing, it is not sufficiently rich for the growth of the poppy until well
manured ; there is, in fact, no crop known to the agriculturist, unless
sugar-cane, that requires so much care and labour as the poppy. The
ground is first four times ploughed on four successive days, then carefully
harrowed, when manure, at the rate of from eight to ten cart-loads an acre,
is applied to it ; this is scarcely half what is allowed to a turnip crop in
Britain. The crop is after this watered once every eight or ten days, the
total number of waterings never exceeding nine in all. One b í g h á
t a k e s t w o
days to soak thoroughly in the cold weather, and four as the hot season
approaches. Water applied after the petals drop from the flowers causes
the whole to wither and decay. When the plants are six inches high, they
are weeded and thinned, leaving about a foot and a half betwixt each
plant ; in three months they reach maturity, and are then about four feet
in height if well cultivated. The full grown seed-pod measures three and
a half inches vertically, and two and a half in horizontal diameter."
IV.—BARODA.
" The poppy is grown in all the Sub-Divisions except Dehgam.
Land intended for it is, as a rule, left fallow for about four months
and ploughed ten times before the seed is sown. But in some Sub-
Division, it is usual to take a crop of bá jrí before the land is utilised
for poppy. In such cases immediately after the bájrí is removed, the
ground is ploughed three times and saturated with water, and when com-
pletely dry, is again ploughed three times. The yield from fallow land is
the greater, and the opium of a lighter colour. Manure is carried to the
field in the month of June, and applied after the first rain at the rate of
1,400fb or more per bíghá every third year. Cattle manure is most used,
mixed with alluvial deposits when available. Poppy is sown in small
rectangular beds of from five to eight feet each, nearly square, and so made
as to allow water to spread evenly. The seed is thrown broadcast over
E
MALWA.
BARODA.