A correspondent writes to the "Peking and Tientsin Tim Having recently returned from a journey in Shensi, and hearing that so mach interest is being taken in opium cultivation, I have made the following few notes on this subject.
Travelling westward last summer from Sianfa, the capital, along the plain bounded on the south by th Tsinling range of mountains, the north by the Wei River, the road to Hubsien, Along this route for fifteen miles out from the capital poppy was being cultivated in places, hidden from the road by other vegetation, s pretence made possible by the andalating character of the country.
From 0 onward through Chonchibsien to Meibsien, howerer, parte ofthe plain oceapied by rice fields, close to the Wei River. the whole of thia immense plain was blooming with poppy. The distance from Hubsien to Meibsien by the road I followed is approximately seventy miles, while the width of the plain varies from five to ton miles, giving " superficial area of at least 500 square miles. I should judge that folly two thirds of this grest apace was oocapied by poppy, representing some 200,000 acres. This fine fertile tract of country being well watered the farmer has exceptional facilities for maturing heavy crops of opiam, Bot more astonishing than' the immense area devoted to the growth of the drug was the number of opiam smoke the route. all the men smoked, bat it was app: ling to see what a large proportion of the women were adleted to the vice.
On all bands rapid deterioration was visible in the physique of the people, accompanied by horrible depression in the spirits of the indivi could only hope that this fertile strip of and, capable of producing an enormous food' supply, may soon be devoted to more profitable use than it is at present, Mach of the opium collected in the plain is deposited with the priests at the various temples, especially those on the track to the sacred mountain Taip The priests have a much better chance of getting through with opiam to a large tawn than the ordinary farmer.
Notices of restriction were conspicnous by their absence in this part of Shenei, so different from the northern part of the province where they were Posted everywhere.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.