:>N;2 THE WOOL TRADE. 



The principal tree of the Doab is the Keekur (Acacia arabica). 

 The J hand or crooked-spined Mimosa (Prosopis spicigera) is also 

 common. This last is said by Rovle, on authority of Burnes, not 

 to extend beyond the Ravi ; this, however, is a mistake. Associ- 

 ated with the Keekur and Jhand we have the following plants : — 



Liuum usitatissimum. Ricinus communis. 



Capparis aphylla. Acacia arabica. 



Butea froudosa. Parkinsonia aculeata. 



Cordia Myxa. Calotropis Hamiltonii. 



Fagonia inysorensis. . Ficus indica. 

 Phoenix sylvestris.* „ religiosa. 



Ualbergia Sissoo. Heliotropium. 



Zizyplius vulgaris. Melia Bukain. 



„ Napeca. Acacia dumosa. 



Moms parviflora. 



In the Baree and Jetch Doabs, viz., at Lahore and Amritsir 

 in the former, and Jelalpore in the latter, and at Xoorpore in the 

 Kohistan, shawls are extensively manufactured, but all of an in- 

 ferior description, owing to the whole of the best shawl-wool being 

 monopolised by Rajah Goolab Singh. This ought not to be the 

 case, seeing that the great breeding country of the shawl wool 

 goat is in that tract of Chinese Tartary lying immediately to the 

 north of the British passes in the Himalayahs, and the wool-traders, 

 in order to obtain a market, are obliged to carry their wool several 

 hundred miles to Cashmere. Were a little encouragement given 

 to them, wools in large quantity and of the finest quality would be 

 imported into the British provinces by the Mana, Neetee, Onuta, 

 Dewra, and other passes. Several years ago the shawl- wool traders 

 brought large quantities of wool to Sreenuggur through the Neetee 

 pass, but finding no demand for it, they were obliged to sell it at 

 a great loss. Since then the attempt to get a market has never 

 been repeated. f But now that extensive shawl manufactories 

 exist in British territory, it would be well worth while on the part 

 of the authorities to re-open this trade, and supply the Punjab 

 with fine wool. The shawl manufacturers of Lahore, Amritsir, 

 Jelalpore, and Noorpore might, with a little encouragement, be 

 induced to send their agents to Sreenuggur to purchase the wool, 

 and on the traders being informed through means of the authori- 



* At Mooltan a branched Palm occurs, which is probably identical with 

 the species met with in Egypt. 



t Annually small quantities of shawl-wool are brought for sale to the 

 Baghesur fair. 



