874 Lieut. Irwin's Memoir of Afghanistan. [Nov. 



have a still greater proportion of clay. The colour of the soil is 

 various ; it requires much water and much stirring, but when properly 

 treated bears heavier crops than most lands in our provinces. Bajour 

 is of a like nature. The lands of the Mihmudzyes and Daoodzyes 

 have had introduced into them by alluvion a considerable proportion 

 of sand. The latter are thirsty,, and bear but ordinary crops. Swad 

 and Punjkora has each its river, and are less clayey than Bajour. 

 The Gugecanee lands are clayey, but such as are near the Ootman 

 Khel and upper Mehmund hills have a mixture of stone. The 

 Khuleels have the firmest soil, the clay extending to a great depth, 

 and water being at a considerable distance from the surface : hence 

 this tribe have dug many underground dwellings, in which to take 

 refuge during the heat of midsummer, and they are not subject to fall 

 in like those made in other parts of the plain. 



98. Teera has a stony soil, which generally contains a considerable 

 proportion of sand. Koonur and Lughman are loams of good quality, 

 and very well watered, and productive in rice. The former because of 

 its wideness requires a greater quantity of water for irrigation than 

 Bajour. Jellalabad is a sandy and thirsty soil. Under its hills (the 

 range of 34°) there extends on the left hand of the traveller to Cabul 

 a barren tract, in length about forty-five miles from Busawul to Nimla ; 

 and in average breadth about five or six. It is partly stony and partly 

 sandy. Perpetual winds here prevailing, it is thought that these sands 

 are encroaching on the good lands. The present soil of Jellalabad has 

 probably been transported from them by the winds. The lands of the 

 upper Mihmunds are of very various kinds. Kama is clayey and moist, 

 Goshta is inclined to sandy. 



99. We find considerable variety in the soil of Cabul. The greater 

 part is a loam with a great proportion of clay, but stones, gravel, and 

 sand, have been lodged under the hills by the rains. On the left hand of 

 the traveller as he goes to Ghorbund from Cabul, is a sandy tract 

 under the hills. It is about eleven miles long by four broad, and quite 

 uncultivated. This is the Reg-ruwan of which many fabulous stories 

 are told by Aboolfuzl and others. The gardens and grounds used for 

 raising vegetables in the vicinity of Cabul, have, by long care and 

 culture been cleared of stones, and now have a black, fertile vegetable 

 soil, from nine to twelve inches deep. In general the lands in this 

 valley bear heavier crops of all things proper for the climate than 

 those of the plain of Peshawur ; but this is partly attributable to the 

 plentiful manure and assiduous culture they receive. Draw-wells are 

 but little used, as water is near to the surface ; but the water of draw- 



