Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-11-04
ON AMERICAN OPIUM.

ON AMERICAN OPIUM.
rTbe foownpis an abstract of the various attempts al
making Opium, in the United States.l
Dr. S. Robertson, formerly OF Duchess
county. N. Y. but now Of the city Of New York
cultivated the poppy in the year 1888, and found
that the opiu,n produced from it was quite as
nowerful- as that imported His paper first sp-
pc cared in the "American Magazine" publish
ed at New-York, in 1888; and was reprinted in
the Medical Repository, vol. !, p 42o. In the
Sd vol Of the same work, r. 2o6, DR.. r. publish
ed additional experiments on the same subject,
Those varieties OF the poppy should be chosen
having numerous heads and strong stalks. Dr.
r. found such variety with large red or pur-
pie flowers, that proved much superior 10 all
others he had seen; he tried the Asiatic mode
of tapping the heads, and found that they yield
ed most plentifully from to - days after the
flowers had fallen; he however obtained the
largest quantity Of juice by cutting off the
stalks, whrh the sun shines, about an inch be-
low the flowers of the plant; and as soon as the
juice appeared, by collecting it with small
scoop or penknife. After the Juice ceased 10
flow, he cut it about an inch lower, and thus
proceeded until the Juice ceased to appear.
The seeds may be sown at the distance Of six
or eight inches. He is convinced there is no
difference in the quality Of the produce, what
ever variety or species be cultivated.
Dir. Anthony, of Petersburgh, Georgia, in the
month of January, $40, sowed seeds OF the true
white or opium poppy, which came up in due
time. The second day after the petals had fall
len, he divided the exterior coat OF the head in
four places, at equal distances from each other;
more incisions, he thinks, would tend TO wound
and destroy the head unnecessarily. The Incl
slons were made at ten o'clock in the morning,
and at twelve he collected the opium that hung
thereirom in tears from one inch TO al inch and
a half in length. Another bleeding, in the az
ternoon Of the same day, yielded as much as
was obtained in the morning. He carefully a.
voidcd penetrating The CAVITY Of tile head. Every
head made from S TO 40 grains Of opium; and
they would have yielded more, could he have
attended closely to the plants. "A piece OF
ground, six yards by ten, produced more than
halga pound of opium. Ee sowed the seeds at
the distance of eight or ten inches apart, in
drills, and about three quarters OF an inch deep;
the drills were two feet apart. He thinks II
necessary 10 sow the seeds III moist ground
Many of the full blown flowers measured from
seven and a half to eight inches in width: the
heads measured from two and half 10 three
and half inches diameter.
Dr. Spalding, of Portsmouth, N. II. has also
made opium from the white poppy; samples of
which he presented to the Medical Society of
the Eastern District Of New-H Hampshire; he
procured it by incisions in the heads, after the
capsules were fully formed
The seeds should be sown in good ground,
as early as the season, in the different parts Of
the continent, will admit; the plants must be
properly watered, and kept clear OF weeds
TransRlanting does mol succeed.
The poppy plant has been cultivated extern
sively by Mr.. Ball and Mr. Jones, in England,
both of whom have received premiums from
the society for the encouragement Of arts, agri-
culture, sc. The opium produced by them,
was found by the London physicians, whose
certificates are given, to be fully equal to- the
imported drug. For the statements Of Mr.. Ball
and Mr. Jones, see Transactions Society Arts,
VOL l8, and Medical Repository, vol. !, p. 424.
see also Domestic Encyclopedia, article ''pop-
Dy''
The cultivation of the poppy plant, for the
purpose of making opium, is particularly adapt
"a to the southern states. Opium might form
one of the articles that must be substituted for
cotton, now that it is found much more Of it is
'aised in the world than is required. But it is
1ol likely that the hint will be taken; although
he profit you'd be certain, if not great Eve
y physician in the United States, living in the
country, might make all the opium he used, by
raising the poppy: an employment lha, would
rot only prove amusing, but highly profitable
% him.
Mr.. Ball calculated, that supposing one pop
by plant growing on one foot square of earth,
produced one grain more of opium; then so
pounds will be collected from one statute acre:
,ut one poppy produces from three to ten heads,
and in each head from six 10 ten missions are
made; from each of which he took two or three
then, he asks, must be the pro-
luce? Double, or semi-doube peoples, gave
more than twice the quantity produced by the
single. V4rchioes Of Useful hnoDledge
MISERIES OF A BALL ROOM
Lamentation AFTER repeated warnings to
be at your place of rendezvous; prepared to
glide gaily through the "mazy Dance at re-
=, ri, .hIy early hOur--to he ObJ thrOu oh