THE LAND OF LAMBSKINS 



77 



duced by shrubs and trees which he first 

 saw on the mountain slopes of China ! 



To those who chase through life from 

 one adventure to the next, heedless of 

 whether they leave a trail or not, this 

 may, perhaps, appeal but little ; but to 

 those who look ahead, imagining a better 

 world here on this wonderful planet, the 

 idea of having so definite and tangible a 

 share in its enrichment must be very 

 satisfactory. 



While without the hearty support of 

 a force of men and women who have 



cared for his introductions, Meyer's 

 work would have been impossible, it is 

 fitting that his name should stand out 

 prominently, for his was the pioneer's 

 work and it depended peculiarly on his 

 individual initiative. 



Meyer's life activities have ceased, and 

 the real causes of his death will always 

 be a mystery. He came to this country 

 a Hollander, a gardener by profession; 

 he became an American citizen and he 

 has given to this land of his adoption 

 a host of lasting benefits. 



THE LAND OF LAMBSKINS 



An Expedition to Bokhara, Russian Central Asia, to 

 Study the Karakul Sheep Industry 



By Robert K. Nabours 



Of the Kansas State Agricultural College 



With Photographs by the Author 



SIXCE time immemorial man has 

 made use of the skins, hair, wool, 

 and fur of animals to protect him- 

 self from the elements and for purposes 

 of adornment. However valuable and 

 universally used are vegetable substitutes, 

 the clothing products furnished by ani- 

 mals are now demanded in larger quanti- 

 ties than ever before ; so much so that 

 consumption has overtaken production, 

 and the situation for the future is con- 

 sidered critical by competent observers. 



Especially is this true with regard to 

 the production of furs ; it appears that 

 the advancement of civilization increases 

 the demand, while at the same time it de- 

 creases the number of wild animals 

 which, since time out of mind, have fur- 

 nished mankind with this indispensable 

 commodity. 



As wild fur-bearing animals have de- 

 creased in numbers and the scarcity and 

 prices of furs consequently increased, 

 many individuals have been led to under- 

 take the rearing of fur-bearers in captiv- 

 ity, as. for example, the efforts to breed 

 foxes in Canada and parts of the United 

 States, and the wide-spread interest in 

 skunk-raising. It is of significance that 

 in one State alone the game warden, 

 within a period of two years, issued more 



than fifty permit.' 

 captivity. 



for breeding skunks in 



KARAKUL SHEEP AS A SOLUTION OE THE 

 WORLD'S EUR PROBLEM 



Attention has been directed recently to 

 the ancient industry of Karakul sheep- 

 raising to aid in restoring the equilibrium 

 between the increasing demand and de- 

 creasing supply of furs. The pelts of the 

 young lambs of this breed of sheep, be- 

 cause of their special qualities of warmth 

 and beauty, appeal to persons of both 

 sexes, old and young, of all stations in 

 life and of all nationalities. There is, 

 perhaps, greater possibility of restoring 

 to mankind a supply of furs from this 

 source than from any other. 



Recently, through the generous coop- 

 eration of Mr. L. M. Crawford, ranch- 

 man : Dr. H. J. Waters, then president, 

 and President W. M. Jardine, then di- 

 rector of the Experiment Station ot the 

 Kansas State Agricultural College, the 

 author traveled in Russia. Bokhara, and 

 other parts of Turkestan largely for the 

 purpose of studying Karakul and other 

 sheep. 



On my first expedition to the East to 

 study the Karakul, my Bokhara inter- 

 preter, a man of education and influence 



