1000 Report on subjects connected with Afghanistan. [No. 120. 



carriage ; the Cabool river being available to Peshawur, or to the 

 Indus. What is first required, is an exact knowledge of its excel- 

 lence, and the cost, inclusive of every charge, at which it can be deli- 

 vered first at Bombay, finally in England. 



If the properties of the wool be promising,* steps can be taken to 

 improve the native breed by importation of the best foreign stocks. Im- 

 provement of wool is stated to depend primarily on attention to the 

 breeds of Sheep, &c. It is also influenced by soil, climate, and food. 

 It has been ascertained that fine clothing wool, the only one, judging 

 from the dry climate, and pastures of Afghanistan, that can be chiefly 

 looked for, may be grown equally fine in most situations, so that the 

 sheep are confined and kept on dry food, a great part of the year. 

 " It may also be grown on the richest pastures, provided these be 

 overstocked to keep the herbage bare." It appears to me, but I beg 

 it to be borne in mind, that I am no authority in such matters, that cir- 

 cumstances intermediate in some degree between dry food and rich 

 pastures, are prevalent naturally throughout Afghanistan. It is also 

 somewhat to the purpose to remark, that the climate of New South 

 Wales is considered extremely favourable from its dryness and mildness, 

 and that great advantage is derived from the absence of briars and un- 

 derwood. The mildness, though not a feature of the Afghan climate, 

 is obtained by the migrations I have alluded to, and the absence of 

 briars and underwood is complete. The introduction of first rate 

 rams is the main object at first : the offspring of the female appears 

 to be always influenced by the first male with which it has had inter- 

 course. It will be a matter of primary importance, therefore, to com- 

 mence with best untried ewes and first-rate rams. 



" By breeding from a coarse-woolled ewe and a pure fine-woolled 

 ram, the produce of the first cross will have a fleece approaching one-half 

 to the fineness of that of the ram ; and by continuing to cross the pro- 

 geny with a fine-woolled ram, equal to the first ram in quality, the 

 fleece of the score and cross will approach three-fourths to the fineness 

 of the first, and in a few crosses more will be brought to an equal 

 quality." Breeding in and in must be strictly avoided. But by breeding 

 from a coarse-woolled ram and a fine-woolled ewe, the series will be 



* On this subject I have no direct knowledge. For the accompanying remarks, I 

 am indebted to Rees' Cyclopaedia. 



