The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-23
Opium Production.

lication, but as an evidence of good faitl
Opium Production.
Being constantly in receipt of letters fl
your State making inquiry regarding OBI
production, in which industry l am in
ested, and not being able to reply to all {
ing information, take the liberty of w
ing to your widely circulated jour
hoping you may see fit to give this mi
nation to your readers and that | can re
subsequent inquirers to your columns
the information asked for.
The poppy plant, from which opium
obtained, has wide geographical raj
growing over the entire United States, I
in some places doing better than in othe
California stands about first in the lis
Texas, Georgia, Florida and the Gulf Sta
following; then Virginia, Michigan, We
ern and Northern States to Vermont. 2
variety to sow is the Opium Poppy, Z
"Paparer Somniferum." Seedmen ne
no distinction, calling all peoples, ION
Poppies," when in fact there are II yie-
ties of this plant. Many persons haven
disappointed in planting peoples, not eing
the result they expected. This m be
owing to the seed or the time of pIilng.
Good seed when kept some time zones
unfertile in some climates and Itlitles.
Fertile seed will only grow in itsSn sea-
son. 1t must always be rememted that
the poppy is an annual, growinglly once
year in its own season at any gen place.
and, though there is scarce nth IN the
year in which peoples may nots planted
this varies with climate, positic elevation,
rainfall, etc., so that in anygiven case,
when you do not know the oper season
for your seed and locality, thSest thing to
do is to plant few beds everten or fifteen
days. Continue doing so udl such time
arrives that the plants conup promptly
within ten days after plating. Having
ascertained this you may tbl proceed upon
larger scale.
The two principal variets are the Indian
or Winter Seed, which is son IN November
or December, and the Eur,ean or Summer
Seed. The latter is the ariety generally
used here. The Indian my be used in the
South, commencing as cay as possible BY
pursuing the above plan ne proper season
for seed and locality ms become known
and no disappointment euIe.
There can be no MOI profitable crop
grown than opium wherthe conditions of
its growth are complied 18th and the same
attention given it as cabhges, tomatoes or
any other vegetable. Tb yield is just as
sure and osrtain; the nirket open at all
times; the freight merel, nominal-a COM
mon trunk will containseveral thousand
dollars worth. 1t does rot entail loss by
keeping. One pound or ore thousand pounds
can be just as readily sold. These are ad
vantages that no other product enjoys.
One thousand lollars per acre is fair
valuation for beginner to obtain. An ex-
pert can do much better. This can be seen
from the following data: 16 to 20 plants
yield OF. opium 16 o., one pound, sells
for IS per Id. Any one can see how small
a piece of grouid 20 plants will grow upon,
and from this calculate the great number
in an acre.
The reason whyopium has not heretofore
been raised in this country was simply the
cost of labor. w could not compete with
the Hindoo, when l0c. per day is the wages
paid; and it was also supposed that there
was no other methpd for obtaining the gun
from the plant except scarifying the capsule
and scraping off the exhude. This state
Of affairs no longer exists. We have dis
covered a cheaper way of extracting the
gum in large or small quantities, and have
further discovered that the Hindoo obtained
less than one-fourth Of the actual amount
Of opium the plant contained, the mere ex-
nude of the capsule alone, when the fact is,
every part of the plant, except the leaves,
opium, the method l use yielding
1915 more than was possible by the old
method. Ny process for extracting the
gum opium is the cheapest and the simplest
known; the work Is light, any man or
woman can do all that is necessary and will
ind it both pleasant and profitable.
l would not advise great numbers to go
into this industry on the rush. 1t has its
and its technicalities which. to
insure full success, must first be learned.
Commence upon a small scale. Invest a
dollar or so in seed, plant few beds, Sc
Letting time when the soil is moist as after
rain, attend as you would any other vege-
table or flower patch. Observe closely,
follow directions, ETC., and you will then
be prepared to go into the business for profit
on large scale.
TO such as are fitted and prepared to go
INTO this industry in bona fide manner !
snail be happy to aid with all necessary in
formation. l have no seed for sale, but
Mr.. George Reynolds, al E. Bay street,
Jacksonville, Florida, has imported some
seed for his own use from Europe; he will
'ell some to those DESTROYS of proving this
industry One pound sows an acre broad
East; 1t takes less if carefully sown in drills
there are no enemies to the plant in this
country 1t does not need rich soil or any
particular fertilizer. A light sandy soil is
we'll adapted to it, though it will grow on
Lhe richest land. 1t stands cold very WELL
w. w. WINTHROP, NJ D.
City Point, Fla.
Hen Manure.