42 Lieut. Irwin's Memoir of Afghanistan. [No. 97- 



east of Bactria, however, it is Mm raised. Next to their fruits, 

 the natives dwell on the excellence of their paliz, and it forms 

 no inconsiderable object of attention to the farmer ; it is 

 most abundant in the neighbourhood of cities ; in very re- 

 mote and rustic parts it is unknown, but they are few. Few 

 things that are cultivated, derive their qualities so much from 

 the soil as from some unknown circumstances. Futehabad, 

 on the road between Jellalabad and Cabul, is famous for the 

 excellence of its water melons ; near this place Shujaool Moolk 

 was defeated in June 1809. All the products which have 

 been mentioned, including paliz, are, in Khoorasan, included 

 under the name subzbur, except wheat and barley, which are 

 called sufedbur. In Toorkistan, the terms kupood, burgee, and 

 sufedburger are substituted. The distinction is recognized in 

 the revenue system, and the rules of collection from each 

 are sometimes different. 



175. The boast of the natives is their fruits. Those of 

 Cabul are acknowledged to be good, even by the Persians, 

 whose country is celebrated for its fruit, and who are gene- 

 rally loth to commend any other. The Cabulees probably 

 lavish too high praises on their fruits. Their pears at least 

 are but ordinary ; their apples are inferior to those of Kush- 

 meer, and even they, when brought to India, are not so good 

 as the English or American. It is but just to observe, that the 

 most delicate and luscious varieties of the fruits are not capable 

 of being preserved for exportation, and a foreigner cannot 

 judge of their merits, without visiting the place. The following 

 are the chief fruits of Cabul — the apple, pear, plumb, cherry, 

 peach, apricot, quince, mulberry, pomegranate, almond, walnut, 

 and grape. The fruit called Alio Bokhara, is not here raised ; it is 

 quite unknown at Bokhara. The greatest quantities are raised 

 in the district of Ghuznee, whence it is exported, but some 

 are produced in particular places of Khoorasan. The mulberry 

 has been already mentioned, and appears to be a most important 

 object of culture in certain parts of the country ; the walnut is 

 cultivated in the neighbourhood of Cabul, but on the whole, it 

 ranks rather as an uncultivated, than a cultivated product. In the 

 valley the season of fruit begins about the time that the 



