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AGRICULTURE IN PERSIA. | 
The recent visit of the Shah of Persia to the principal countries of 
Europe, whatever may have been its political significance, is regarded 
as indicative of progress in that ancient and conservative kingdom, and 
has attracted much attention to the actual condition of Persia, which, 
renowned as it is in history, is but little known to the world at large in 
respect to the details of common life. We have heard—and the story 
has been repeated within a few years—of terrible famine in that coun- 
try, and the consequent starvation and pestilence, by which its inhab- 
itants have perished by thousands. These famines have been attributed 
to defective agriculture, in a country susceptible of high and profitable 
cultivation, and capable even of producing a large surplus of the staff 
of life, and also to a great want of water, where irrigation for farming 
purposes is at all times necessary. Persia is known to have carried the 
art of irrigation to great perfection centuries ago, and her practices in 
that respect are supposed to have originated the religious reverence so 
extensively paid to rivers and fountains. The practice of penetrating 
the mountains in search of springs, and conveying the water when 
found by subterranean tunnels, even to great distances, for purposes of 
irrigation, originated in Persia, and is, perhaps, still peculiar to that 
country. It is probable, however, that the ancient and effective system 
of irrigation in Persia has not kept pace with the demands of an increas- 
ing population; bat to what extent it may have been diminished we 
have no means of knowing. Nor is it known how far agriculture has 
deteriorated or suffered from neglect in a country which at one time, 
even under primitive methods of tillage, exhibited’ an exuberant fer- 
tility. Neither is it certain that the famines in question, which were of.a 
Jocal character, are justly attributable to the causes mentioned. Others 
have ascribed all the evils which Persia has suifered to bad government. 
The visit of the Shah to the domains of more successful rulers can hardly 
fail of an.ameliorating influence upon his own country and people. In 
an article in the annual report of this Department for 1871 the want of 
manufactures, or of a sufficient variety of skilled industry to keep agri- 
culture alive, is regarded as furnishing a complete explanation of the 
great calamity which befell Persia, or a portion of it, a few years ago. 
The following translation from a recent French publication contains 
some statements respecting the present habits of the people and their 
‘methods of agriculture which seem to confirm the latter view: 
The Persians are the most remarkable people of the great race who, sharing the 
table-land of Asia, have conquered and occupied the East. History has handed down to 
us the titles of their origin and grandeur. Their civilization goes back to a remote 
epoch, and was superior to ours, as the Persians had long been acquainted with agri- 
culture and a settled life while our ancestors were yet nomads. Their country was 
beauntified by smiling gardens that were the object of the admiration and envy of other 
nations, who have consecrated their memory by the name that designated the birth- 
place of the first human family; firdaus (Greek, paradeisos) is a Persian word signi- 
fying garden. An ancient province of this kingdom is still called the “ land of roses,” 
(Gulistan.) 
The agriculture of the Persians is peculiar. From the most ancient antiquity this 
people have carried the science of irrigation to great perfection. Herodotus relates 
that they had a great veneration for water-courses, and the care which they bestowed 
on their springs and fountains has been deemed worthy of imitation by other nations. 
The soil of Persia is generally dry, and water is obtained by artificial methods, such 
as the digging of wells and the raising of dikes. The water flowing from the mount- 
ains after the melting of the snow is received into canals and carried into the fields. 
