Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1881-03-03
OPIUM.

How the Useful and Deadly Drug IL Made.
WE shall have to explain the status
OF the people who are engaged in the
cultivation of the poppy. 1t will. per-
haps. be best to begin with the lam ar
dar or agent. This man represents
he inhabitants of village of
opium farmers, who, of their own
choice. appoint him as their head man.
1t is his duty to speak and arrange with
the Government officers, as well as to
show the reason why and how the out
turn has been less than the probable
estimate 1t is this man who arranges
all the transactions and money dealings
between the cultivator and the Govern,
ment For his services he receives no
fixed salary, but q commission upon all
the opium he brings to the Government
weighing stations. 1t is through his
vigilance that illicit opium sale is frus-
trated. In this object he is associated
with native Government servant, who
lives during the year among the people
employed upon this cultivation. This
official is thoroughly acquainted with
the resources Of the soil, the state of
the crops. and the amount of opium
each square foot of land is capable of
producing. The most vigorous rules
and most efficient checks are enforced
to combat any attempt at fraudulent
sale, but the Government very wisely
precludes. by paving high prices. illicit
opium traffic. Not only that. but the
advantages enjoyed by the natives en-
gagged in poppy cultivation are so i'm
mense and OF so tempting n nature
that the natives, through fear of ever
losing their advantages, are not likely
to sacrifice, even for temporary gain,
their means of sure livelihood.
Owing to the ever poverty-stricke
state of the Indian raiat, or husband
man, the Government advances the
means whereby he can engage in poppy
cultivation. The nature of their en-
SaGements is about rs follows: The
cultivatOr undertakes to SOW bigka, or
about one-twentieth of an acre, with
poppy seed. For this he is given the
requisite amount of seed. Ii well has
10 be dug, he is not only given sum,
on loan. sufficient to carry out his pur-
pose. but also money enough to buy
bullocks in order to enable him to draw
from the well when it is finished. This
is termed the first advance, and is
simply given him to prepare his land
for the sowing of poppy seed. The Sec
ond advance is given when the plant.
begins to shoot above the earth's sur
face. and the third when the plant is
about TO mature. In January or Feb
ruary 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 of bs an iron scraper.
At the same time precaution is exer-
cised to close the incisiOns by running
tine 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 70 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 peoples does not en-
pioy labor His holdings are mere
garden patches; SO all the aid ne re-
luires. from the sowing of the seed to
The maturing of the plant and the gath
ering OF the opium. can be had from |
The members Of his family. The whole I
d this work is done by himself, his /
wife, and his little ones, Many of |
ihese opium garden plots, worked by
nan and his family. amount to only