1840.] Lieut. Irwin's Memoir of Afghanistan. 47 



bearded like that of India, but the barley (especially of Tibet) 

 is unbearded. Not less singular is that species of barley well 

 known in Persia, in Mushhud, Goonabad and some other parts of 

 Persian Khoorasan, under the name of jouitoorshee. That part 

 which is intended for seed is given to horses, with such pre- 

 cautions as prevent its being triturated, and thus losing its 

 vegetative power in the body of the animal ; when afterwards 

 sown in the spring it comes to perfection in sixty days. 



181. The scythe is unknown, and crops are reaped by the 

 sickle. Wheat and barley are, in Toorkistan and most other 

 quarters, separated from their straw on the field. In Cabul 

 the straw is reckoned equal in value to the grain, and to prevent 

 its dissipation, most farmers carry the crop after reaping and 

 drying to the farmstead and there separate them. In these 

 countries, as in India, the rubbee crops are trod out by animals, 

 not thrashed ; to these there are few exceptions. In Kushmeer 

 the labour of men is cheap, and there all crops are separated 

 from their straw by being beaten with sticks. I recollect to 

 have heard of the flail being somewhere used. The methods 

 of preserving corn are various. In Toorkistan the most com- 

 mon practice is to lodge it in juts, which locally they call wells, 

 but in Tashkund Week-kheeha, and Keerategin, kundoos are 

 commoner. These are well known in Hindustan, and are made 

 above ground of mud and straw. In such are lodged a great 

 part of the grain of Cabul, Ghuznee, and Khoorasan, but in 

 cities, granaries belonging to individuals are upon a much greater 

 scale. Many of the Dooranees have considerable stores of former 

 years lodged in their houses. This resource secures that country 

 from even the chance of a famine ; and famines are rare in any 

 part of the countries in question ; the most common cause is 

 the devastations of locusts. 



Section II. — A Review of the Districts. 



182. In the following review of the districts, I shall alto- 

 gether omit some considerable spaces of country which have 

 been mentioned under preceding subjects. The late embassy 

 in Sindh must have procured information respecting the Tal- 



