1841.] Report on subjects connected with Afghanistan. 1001 



reversed, and if continued, will be attended by the disappearance of 

 the fine-woolled race. 



I know nothing more likely to invite to improvement than the 

 history of wool, nothing that should inculcate more steadily the ad- 

 vantages of interchange of breeds. Sheep's wool appears to be the pro- 

 duct of cultivation ; no wild animal is known resembling the wool- 

 bearing sheep. The wild sheep of Afghanistan, and indeed all the 

 wild animals of the same family in the country, are covered with 

 short coarse hair of large diameters, under which, and next to the 

 skin, occurs a various proportion of short wool. The effect of cultiva- 

 tion appears to be the falling off of the coarse hair, the place of which 

 is supplied by the increased growth of the wool. 



The fine wool equal to the best Merino, now produced exclusively 

 in Australia is entirely owing to the skill and perseverance of a single 

 individual, John MacArthur, Esq. His stock originally conaisted of 30 

 coarse-haired Bengal ewes, but having in 1795 procured one Merino 

 ram and two ewes from the Cape, he commenced crossing, and by 

 constantly selecting the finest-woolled progeny for breeding from, he at 

 length succeeded completely. In 1802 he came to England, and obtain- 

 ed certain advantages as rewards, he returned with three Merino rams 

 and two ewes. In 1807, he possessed 7,000 sheep, and the better sort 

 of this wool he sent to the English markets, was considered equal to 

 the best Merino in every point, but cleanness. 



I have to add, that the signs of fine clothing wools are fineness 

 of fibre, softness, length, and soundness and equality of staple, (by 

 which are meant the locks of aggregated fibres.) The colour should 

 be pure white, and as the weight is materially influenced by cleanli- 

 ness, this last is an object of great importance to the wool buyer. 



Among the manifold ways by which Afghanistan may be made to 

 benefit by its intimate connection with Great Britain, the introduction 

 of useful plants, such as those adapted for timber, for food, or for 

 other domestic purposes, is assuredly not the least in the scale. The 

 plants most likely to succeed are perhaps those of Southern Europe. 

 Some of the most important of those of Kunawur, might also be, I 

 think, successfully introduced : with regard to these, I take the liberty 

 of submiting the accompanying list, premising, that it is drawn up on 

 general considerations, not strict practical knowledge. 



