One of the most beautiful sights around Ispahan, in Persia, is a
field of poppies--those pure white flowers--stretching away for
miles. But the poppy is often the source of a curse and misery.
Before the poppy is ripe the “head” is scratched at sunset with
a kind of comb in three places; and from these gashes the opium
oozes out. Next morning it is collected before sunrise, dried
and rolled into cakes ready for use or market. Its growers are
enriched by the traffic, but the ground is greatly impoverished.
And the users of opium? Why, it is death to them.
Too often, as with the poppy, beauty becomes a curse, and blessing a
bane. (Text.)
(202)
=Bed, Taking Up the=--See BIBLE CUSTOMS TO-DAY.