94 REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. [CH. VI.
flowers are mixed with hemp seed and smoked in a chillum.
This seems akin to
the garda of the Punjab."
Miscellaneous information about
the preparation of charas.
239. The evidence from this province contains information about the manu-
facture of charas in Nepal, Yarkand, Peshawar, and
Kandahar, which may be noted, though it is not all
direct evidence. The Bhutias of Nepal scatter ashes on the plants in the even-
ing. In the morning they enter and walk through the crop or jungle clothed in
leather, to which the resin adheres. This is scraped off and makes a strong kind
of charas. It may be noted that Dr. Gimlette, Residency Surgeon, Katmandu,
was unable to verify the accounts he had heard of this process, but found that in
the country 50 miles round the capital the drug was collected by rubbing the
young flowering tops between the hands in situ (Watt). In Yarkand, according
to witness (62), the dried plants are beaten over a cloth, and the greyish
powder, which falls upon it, is collected and packed in bags, where it agglutinates
by some process, of which exposure to the sun forms part. Witness (192) has
"seen charas prepared near Peshawar and Kandahar. People go into the fields
with leather leggings on, and the charas sticks to them, and is scraped off."
The
same witness has seen bhang prepared in great quantities at Hardwar, Lahore,
Kabul, and Kandahar.
North-Western Provinces States.
240. Regarding the Native States in the North-Western Provinces, there is
nothing to be added to the information collected for
the province generally.
Punjab.
241. Though some witnesses make mention of the smoking of bhang leaves,
there is no evidence of the preparation of the flower
head either of the uncultivated or cultivated plant for
use as ganja. The smoking of the produce of the plant in any form except charas
is evidently extremely rare. According to witness (59), "the word 'ganja' is
sometimes applied to charas."
Preparation of bhang.
242. Bhang is prepared both from the uncultivated plant and from the small
quantity of cultivated plant in the ordinary way, viz.,
by simple drying. Mr. Drummond (13) says that the
flowering tops are preferred. The zamindars do not generally take any payment
for the bhang gathered from their lands. The plant grows from December
to June-July. The usual time for gathering appears to be May. No. (73) says
May or June. Lala Kesho Das, Extra Assistant Commissioner, reports that in
June-July "the hemp plant acquires peculiarly noxious qualities, and hence it is
during that fortnight that bhang intended to be used as a drug is cut." The
bhang of some localities is regarded as superior, such as that of Ambota and
Gagret, of Bhimbar in Kashmir, and of Gurdaspur. The cultivated plant may
yield a superior quality of drug, but there is not much evidence of any preference
for it over the wild drug.
Preparation of charas.
243. There is practically no evidence of charas being prepared below the
mountains. The method of preparation followed in
Kulu and the Hill States is that of rubbing the flower
heads between the hands and scraping off the resin accumulated on the palms or