Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-01-20
Opium Culture in India.

Calcutta Letter to the San Francisco Chronicle
Owing to the ever poverty.stricken
state OF the Indian raiat, or huSbandman,
the government advances the means
whereby he can engage 10 poppy cult
vatlon. The nature of their engage
ments is about as follows: The cult
Vator undertakes to sow bigka, OF
about one-twentieth of an acre. with
poppy seed. For this he is give the
requisite amount of seed. If well has
to be dug, he is not only given a sum, on
loan, sufficient to carry ont his purpose,
but also money enough to buy bullocks
in order to enable him to draw water
from the well when it is finished. This
is termed the first advance, and is simply
given him to prepare his lard for the
sowing of poppy seed. The second
advance is given when the plant begins
to shoot above the earth's surface, and
the third when the plant is about to
mature. In January or February the
plant comes to maturity in that state the
pods are lanced in the afternoon. The
opium is allowed to exude till next
morning, when it is carefully taken off
by an iron scraper. AT the same time
precautfOn is exercised to close the in
cisions by running the finger over the
cuts. About five TO six incisions suffice
for the drawing of the juice.
The opium IS placed in brass vessels.
slightly tilted, so as to drain off the dew
or any other watery substance. 1t is
then manipulated and placed in new
earthen vessels, and is thus kept till it
is brought to the weighing stations. The
cultivator of poppies does not employ
labor His holdings are mere garden
patches; so that all the aid he requires,
from the sowing of the seed to the
maturing of the plant and the gathering
OF the opium, can be had from the mem
bers of his family. The whole of this
work is done by himself, his wife and
little Cnes. Many of these opium garden
plots, worked by man and his family,
amount to only one sixth or one-twelfth
of an acre, perhaps; in few isolated in
stances one man is wealthy enough to
own half an acre.
We can imagine how glad must be the
raiat when the poppy plant has begun to
exude opium. and when his opium has
all been gathered he waits patiently for
the order to march with the fruits Of his
labors to the weighing station. It de.
pends entirely upon the season as to
when the cultivators can bring their
opium to the government station to be
weighed.
AS general rule the month of April
is the beginning of the weighing season.
Intimation is then given to the opium
cultivators that they must present them.
selves On certain day with their opium,
in order to have it tested and weighed.
In the districts where the poppy plant is
cultivated all are astir, and grand prepa-
rations are made for general exodus.
The opium is collected safely in red
earthen pots, which are put in wicker
crates, and the whole family, with bur
dens on their heads make for the weigh
ing stations. The picturesque Indian
lanes are crowded with these men,
marching like sheep to their destination.
They only travel during the night. The
sultry heat of midday forces them to
seek the grateful shelter of the gardens
and groves so literally planted along the
dusty highways. Directly halt is called
and preparations are made for the daily
meal. After this is finished some lively
spirit starts story recounting the savage
dolngs OF the stranger who rules the
land. With terrified countenance and
anxious ears they listen to these fabulous
tales; but inwardly they bless the white
face" when they think of the money he
is soon to disburse.