Young: Karakul Sheep Breeding 



231 



TEDDY 



Figure 14. One of the best imported rams in this country. The Karakul fur sheep is a native 

 of the Kara-Kum desert of central Asia, which is situated east of the Caspian sea, and north of 

 Afghanistan. This is the region immortalized in Arnold's Sorah and Rustiim, and it is from Bok- 

 hara, just to the east, that the famous "Persian rugs" come. The Karakul sheep is descended 

 from the Danadar, a breed of black fur sheep that became extinct about eighty years ago.. The 

 practice of killing the lambs having the most valuable skins has resulted in great deterioration 

 in the fur sheep of this region. (See text, p. 234.) 



introduction of fine M^ool breeds has 

 greatly interfered with the making of 

 the best blankets. Karakul yarn is 

 used for mending Oriental rugs, and is 

 worth between four and five dollars a 

 pound, thousands of pounds being 

 imported annually. With proper grad- 

 ing and marketing precautions Karakul 

 wool should bring as good a price as 

 the wool of certain of our domestic 

 coarse wooled sheep. Karakul wool 

 sold recently for 28 cents, when 

 Shropshire wool was bringing 30 cents. 

 In the Southwest two clippings a year 

 are the rule. 



THE FUR 



Were it not for the fact that Karakul 

 sheep are fur bearing animals, in 

 addition to being mutton and wool 

 sheep it is doubtful whether the writer 

 would ever have risked an expedition 

 into Central Asia, even though their 

 importation meant the utilization of 

 millions of acres of desert land which 

 today is practically valueless. 



Karakul lambs are generally black 

 at birth, with a wonderful luster, and 

 those of superior quality possess tight 

 curls. The skins obtained from such 



