To the Editor of the "Norta-Cxa Dairy News"
Sm—In September 1933, this Bureau, in its Communiqué No. 21 wrote:
China might avail herself of modern aviation in her task of locating and surveying poppy cultivation.
Scientific research—in the matter of plant. disease, or poppy posts. sustepiible of destroying the poppy plant out injuring other crops—might eventually. furnish the Government with an easy means of destruction.
In 1936, the Egyptian Government began to use, and uses successfully, aircraft for the detection of illicit cultivation of opium. The exact Igeation of the patches of poppy se and photographed from the air 2 worked out on the Survey map, police forces are at once despatched and the poppy fields destroyed.
'A full account of the manner in which the Egyptian Government translated this Bureau's suggestion into practice is to be found in that Government's Annual Report for 1936. This should prove of value to all other Governments faced with the problem of detecting illicit cultivation of the poppy.
During its last Session, the League of Nations Advisory Committee on 'Traffic in Opium recognised that the Chinese Government had been suc cessful in reducing the production' of opium, even in provinces such Yunnan, Szechuen and Kweichow. Nevertheless, given the large extent of the Chinese territory, It 1s possible that some illicit poppy cultivation still exists in remote parts of the country, where control is difficult The use of aircraft for the detection of such illicit poppy cultivation would be an easy and relatively inexpensive means for the Chinese Government to ascertain whether poppy cultiva~ tion has really been eradicated in those districts of China where it is strictly prohibited and, on the other hand. whether, in those parts where poppy cultivation is still authorized, this cultivation does not exceed the maximum extent prescribed by authorities It now remains to be seen whether the suggestion that poppy plant may be destroyed by the spread of poppy plant disease' will be taken up.and tried out in districts where poppy cultivation is prohibited, A. E, BLANco, Director.
The Anti-Opium Information Bureau: -Geneva.
Geneva, July 13.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.