the Economic Products of India.
39
PAPAVER
Races Grown.
somniferum.
is thus exceedingly susceptible, in the early stages of its growth, especially,
to the cooling of the soil by the rapid and incessant evaporation of mois-
ture. As illustrating this, I may observe that some of the most healthy
of my Malwa plants have always been those sheltered less or more from
the westerly winds. I have observed also that under a soft and moist
easterly wind they quickly acquire a mere healthy appearance. Again, if
slightly overshadowed by a tree, they are also greatly more vigorous than
when fully exposed : this can be only due to decreased radiation and its
consequent chilling effects, and some little perhaps to the plants being
slightly screened from the direct rays of the sun. The chilling effects,
however, of radiation is, as I believe, the main cause of the hitherto in-
different success of the Malwa plant here, and only when it has acquired
a thicker and firmer textured foliage (as it now evidently has) will it afford
a remunerative crop " (Man. Opium Husbandry, pp . 4 4 &# x 2 0 1 3 ; 5 2 ) .
In a further page it will be found that Mr. Scott, while dealing with
the subject of the fungoid diseases to which the poppy plant is liable,
pointed out that an even greater interest centres around his discovery of
the existence of distinct varieties and cultivated races, than the fact of
these affording vary ing proportions of the drug or of its separate alka-
loids. As with the potato and many other cultivated plants so with the
poppy, Mr. Scott noted, that while one race was invariably severely in-
jured by disease others enjoyed a comparative or even complete immunity
from it. It may thus be inferred that one of the most hopeful courses of
improvement would be to foster the cultivation of the races of poppy
which yield the maximum of the drug commensurate with the minimum
tendency to disease.
CULTIVATION
Races.
AREA OF POPPY CULTIVATION & YIELD.
In modern language "Bengal opium " means opium manufactured
at Patna and Ghazipur as distinct from Turkey, Malwa, and other
opiums. The area and yield of Bengal opium are annually known with
the utmost accuracy, but that which falls under the definition of " Malwa"
and " Other Indian Opiums " can only be learned from the reports fur-
nished by the chief producing Native States. In the Panj&#x00E1;b, opium
is grown in almost every district, more or less, but the area is regularly
declared. The permission to grow the plant and to manufacture the
dr ug i n t he Panj &#x00E1; b i s l ooked upon as t oo uni mpor t ant t o cal l f or s peci al
interference more than is done in the case of opium cultivation in certain
mountainous tracts and petty Native States within British districts. The
P a n j & # x 0 0 E 1 ; b o p i u m i s c o n s u m e d l o c a l l y , a n d t h e f a c t t h a t i t d o e s n o t p r o v e
sufficient to meet the demand seems satisfactory evidence that the supervi-
-sion and restriction imposed are sufficient to keep the traffic within legitimate
bounds. Throughout the length of the Him&#x00E1;laya the poppy is grown, but
little or no control is exercised, since nothing has as yet transpired to
show that there is any export from these tracts. It may thus be said that
wherever semi-independent Native States and wild mountainous country
occur, a limited poppy cultivation is permitted, through the habit of non-
interference, but that, with the exception of the Panj&#x00E1;b, no other British
province is allowed to grow the plant save in the tracts that have been brought
under the direct supervision of the Agencies of Patna and Benares. The
accuracy of the returns of area furnished by the chief Native States that
produce the Malwa opium, is doubtless open to suspicion. Further, the
amounts registered at the weighment stations cannot be used as a factor to
check these returns, since it is well known that, in spite of all precautions, con--
siderable quantities do actually percolate illicitly into British districts. At
the same time the local consumption within Native States is not known, so
that the returns, such as they are, have to be accepted. Speaking generally.
Area &
Production.