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Wool and Woollen Manufactures of Khorassan. By Capt. IIutton, 

 37 th Regiment, N. I. 



Goat's Wool, or Down. 



The goats of the hilly tracts of Khorassan yield, like those of Cash- 

 mere and Thibet, a fine and remarkably soft down, growing at the roots 

 of the outer or true hair. 



The colour of this wool is generally of a shade of brown more or less 

 intense, and the outer or hairy coating of the animal is long, and usually 

 jet black. The white down, is scarce. 



These goats are rather short legged, very shaggy, and very generally 

 horned ; they are rather small, and very graceful looking animals. 



The best are said to be among the Hazarree and Tymunnee tribes. 



These goats produce two fleeces during the year ; the first during 

 winter, which is gathered in spring, and the latter during summer, which 

 is gathered in autumn. The latter is said to be in most esteem, and 

 the finest. The reason given is, that in winter the severity of the 

 season checks the natural exudations from the pores of the skin, and 

 keeps it dry, and that consequently the hair receives less nourishment 

 than in summer, and is therefore coarser and less soft. 



The heat of the summer months, on the other hand, causing a plenti- 

 ful discharge of moisture from the pores of the body, furnishes 

 abundant nourishment to the roots of the hair, which becomes in 

 consequence, soft and silky. 



The winter fleece is therefore sheared off with the hair, and after 

 undergoing a partial cleansing from hair and animal matter is made in- 

 to " Koork-i-Puttoo" which comes chiefly from Beerjund, in Persia. 



The long hair after separation from the wool is made into grain- 

 bags, tents, and ropes. 



The autumn fleece is only taken from dead animals. The goat is 

 killed for butcher's meat, and the skin well rubbed over with a solution 

 of lime and potash, and left thus for two or three days, until incipi- 

 ent decay has taken place in the skin, and the hair is easily pulled out ; 

 leaving the under wool, or down, free, which is then also taken off 

 separately. 



This method appears in all respects to be the same as that practised 

 in Koordistan, as related by Captain Conolly ; but the lime with which 

 the skin is rubbed over does not here injure the wool. It is first pul- 

 led out of its natural masses by the hand, and afterwards farther sepa- 



