English opium. : The premium of thirty guineas was this Session presented to Messrs. Cowley and Staines, surgeons, of Winslow, Bucks, for cultivating four acres of the white poppy ...

  • Cowley, John
Date:
1823
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: English opium. : The premium of thirty guineas was this Session presented to Messrs. Cowley and Staines, surgeons, of Winslow, Bucks, for cultivating four acres of the white poppy ... Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Reading of the method employed in the year 1794, by Mr. Ball, of Willison, and perceiving that it had received the approbation of the Society, we became desirous of trying his process, and did so on a small scale, in several seasons; but although we never failed to produce ex¬ cellent opium, there appeared no prospect of enlarging the scale of our operations with advantage, chiefly on account of the great difficulty and expense, which attended the operation of properly scarifying the poppy head. The discovery of an error in Mr. Ball’s calculations, gave us additional discouragement; that gentleman states the produce of an acre to be 50 lb., supposing a square foot to produce one grain, whereas, on that calculation, it would only amount to between five and six pounds. In the year 1819, we contrived the scarificator (Plate 1, fig. 1), and were so much encouraged by the increased facility afforded by its operation, as to undertake 15 poles of poppies. This little piece was selected from six acres of poppies, on account of bearing a very regular crop. It afforded employment to two women, for 9 days, who received Is. per day, which made the expense of collect¬ ing, &c., 12s. per lb., as they procured one pound and a half of solid opium, of which we inclose a specimen. The cultivation w7as similar to that pursued in the two following years, we need not therefore particularize it, until we describe our progress in the year 1821. The only pecu¬ liarity was, a very fine season throughout. In 1820 we constructed the scarificator (fig. 2), which was employed on 1 acre, 5 perches, of poppies, and was found much superior to our first contrivance, both in facility of application, and in dispatch. The process was begun, Jffiy 19, and finished August 2, producing 21 lb.y 8oz.9 2dr., of opium, in the recent state; which was