THE WHEATS AND BARLEYS OF KHORASAN. 

 I. INTRODUCTION. 



In 1910, a report on the agriculture of Khorasan was published by Major 

 Sykes. (now Sir Percy Sykes) Consul-General and Agent of the Government 

 of India in Khorasan. Samples of the wheats were also sent to Tusa for 

 classification. 



Khorasan, with an average altitude of 3,000 to 4,000 ft., lies in the north 

 (>f the Iran plateau which includes the whole of the uplands of Persia and 

 Afghanistan. The climatic conditions resemble those of the higher parts of 

 Baluchistan. The temperature rarely falls below zero in Avinter and the 

 highest temperature in sunmier is about 100 with cool nights. SnoAv falls in 

 December, January and February but the average c(;mbined siiow and rainfall 

 is only 10"20 inches per annum. In common with Seistan and Baluchistan, 

 Khorasan suffers very much from strong, dry winds, notably the " wind of 

 120 days." The soil most commonly found is known as kirmiz or crimson 

 and is a dark coloured loam. 



The following account of the cultivation of wheat is taken from Major 

 Sykes' report : — 



" Land destined for wheat or barley has. very fi-equently, been fallow 

 for as nnich as five or six years, during which period it has either remained 

 almost bare with a few thorns growing on it : or if naturally comparatively 

 moist, it is covered with liquorice which has a deep root : but which is of no 

 value as a crop, although it is used for binding round a broken limb and as a 

 specific against fever. The first ploughing generally takes place when the 

 land is wet during the spring, and this ploughing is repeated two or three 

 times. In the autumn, the land is levelled and divided into suitably sized plots 

 called kala by means of tiny ridges known as pal. A lala for wheat or barley 

 is from 3 to 5 zars^ wide and from 40 to 50 and sometimes 100 zars long. It 

 all, however, depends on the nature of the ground and the volume of the water. 

 After again being watered, the seed is thrown on broadcast. In this connexion, 

 land is generally flooded to a depth of three inches for grain crops : but to 



' 1 zar— 4.0-95 incliea. 



