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Extraction de l’opium

Il s'extrait de la capsule gonflée à son maximum mais non encore arrivée à pleine maturité du pavot somnifère (Papaver somniferum L. ou le synonyme paeoniflorum). Pour récolter l'opium, on incise le péricarpe des capsules mûrissantes après la chute des pétales avec un couteau à une ou plusieurs lames et de formes variées selon les régions du monde. L'incision exsude un latex blanc, laiteux, qui sèche en une résine brune. Enfin, pour récolter la résine séchée qui constitue l'opium brut, on racle les capsules à l’aide d’une large lame incurvée. Celle-ci doit rester humide afin que le latex ne s’y accumule pas à l'excès. (Wikipédia)

Extraction of opium

When grown for opium production, the skin of the ripening pods of these poppies is scored by a sharp blade at a time carefully chosen so that neither rain, wind, nor dew can spoil the exudation of white, milky latex, usually in the afternoon. Incisions are made while the pods are still raw, with no more than a slight yellow tint, and must be shallow to avoid penetrating hollow inner chambers or loculi while cutting into the lactiferous vessels. In India, the special tool used to make the incisions is called a nushtar and carries three or four blades three millimeters apart, which are scored upward along the pod. Incisions are made three or four times at intervals of two to three days, and each time the "poppy tears," which dry to a sticky brown resin, are collected the following morning.(Wikipedia)

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Additional Photos by Patrick HUBERT (yquem46) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 443 W: 1 N: 996] (7816)
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