1006 Report on subjects connected with Afghanistan, [No. 120. 



Several of the European fruits may also be introduced with benefit, 

 such as currants, raspberries, strawberries. 



Of vegetables, the artichoke, parsnip, carrot, turnip, potatoes, horse 

 radish, celery, sea kale, asparagus, parsley, good lettuces, endive, are 

 desiderata ; some of them exist indigenously, but cultivated kinds are 

 required. 



For the more tropical parts of the country, I would recommend the 

 introduction (or extension) of the Sissoo, Series, Jamin, the Mhowa, 

 Toon, Mangoe, and Kikkur. 



The list might be extended almost indefinitely. I have taken my 

 authority for most of the plants adapted to the middle regions, by 

 which may be meant all between 3,000 and 7,500 feet, from Loudon's 

 Encyclopaedia, which book is also my authority for the properties of 

 the species. With regard to the North American plants, detailed 

 information is required, the habitats given by Mr. Loudon embracing 

 half of the new world. 



Among these proposed introductions, the hop will be found. In a 

 conversation with Dr. Falconer, it was suggested to me, that the Af- 

 ghan climate, from its dry summer, would probably be well adapted 

 to the cultivation of this plant. I in return suggested that the fine 

 tracts between Mookloor and Ghuzni, the valleys about Cabul and 

 Kohistan generally, would seem to be the most promising sites. I 

 would not now omit Candahar. I think that with regard to climate, 

 Afghanistan appears to present most, if not all, the circumstances un- 

 der which the hop reaches perfection in England ; and I also think, 

 that the experiment should be tried. Mr. Loudon says, in his Encyclo- 

 psedia of plants, that the expences of a hop plantation are very great. 

 But I do not think that considerations of this kind, except where the 

 expence is unreasonable, are to be taken into so much weight when 

 connected with useful proposals recommended to a powerful Govern- 

 ment. Even putting the question into the shape of pounds, shillings, 

 and pence, great direct returns might be expected in the increased du- 

 ration of life among the European soldiery in India, to say nothing of 

 the enormous indirect advantage the army would derive from that 

 increase of sobriety, likely to attend the substitution of good beer, 

 for noxious ardent spirits. Excellent practical information regarding the 

 hop is to be found in the Penny Cyclopsedia, vol. xii. and I would 



