L 97 ] ^ 



XVIII.- On ilie PossihUlty of naturalizing the Cachemire 

 Goat of India to the Climate of Europe: in a Letter from 

 Dr. De Carro, of Ficnna, to Professor Pictet, of Ge- 

 neva^. 



Vienna, July 3, 1805. 



J. o u remember, sir, undoubtedly, the project which I 

 communicated of profiting by the complaisance of nu- 

 merous correspondents, whom I have in different parts of 

 Asia, and of the obligations which they acknowledge they 

 owe to me for having furnished them with the means of 

 propagating vaccination through a great part of the East. 

 You know that my principal aim was to direct their atten- 

 tion to the alimentary plants of Asia, the culture of which 

 might be useful in Europe. Of such plan^^s I have conti- 

 nually solicited the seeds, with instructions for the necessary 

 culture, relying at all timqs in this search on the informa- 

 tion of the learned Dr. Roxburgh, manager of the botanic 

 garden at Calcutta. I have also had recourse to you, sir, in 

 requesting vour suggestions on those objects which ijiighf 

 be particularly useful to our countr\\ You have thought 

 of mountain rice. I have asked it from my correspondents ; 

 and, in spite of the small hopes of success which your expe- 

 riments have hitherto afforded me, I shall still submit to 

 your care and experiments the specimens of such articles 

 as I receive from the East. You have, among other things, 

 enjoined me to consider if means could be used to bring to 

 Constantinople a pair of those famous goats of which the 

 wool is manufactured into those beautiful and costly Cache- 

 mire shawls, so much in fashion throughout Europe and 

 Asia. 



Considering the ditHcullies of such an enterprise, it is 

 proper to cite, perhaps, the very passage of your letter of 

 the 21st of March 1S05:-— "Do you believe it possible to 

 bring^ to Constantinople a pair of shawl goats ? The English 

 have not succeeded in naturalizing this Indian animal to 

 their own climate. A single goat was brought to England, 



• From lliiliothcqi'c Britanni^ue, vol. xiix. 



Vol. 21. No. 94. March ISOG. G hut 



