PHYSICAL FEATURES. The surface of Afghan istan is exceedingly mountainous, a great part of it being covered with the mighty chain of Hindu-Kush and its offshoots. The Hindu-Kush extends in a northeast and southwest direction for about 400 miles to the Irak and Shibar passes, where it assumes the name of Koh-i-Baba. Its highest peaks are over 20,000 feet above the sea, and the passes of Irak and Shibar on the route from Afghan Turkestan to Kabul are 12,000 feet and 8000 feet high respectively. The Koh-i-Baba chain branches off into two ranges, the Safed Nob and Siab-Koh. Another branch is sent off by the Hindu-Kush above the Sirak Pass, which is called the Pashman Mountains. They run in a southwestern direction, and eventually unite with the Suleiman Mountains, which traverse the eastern part of Afghanistan. Besides the above mentioned principal chains, there are many secondary ranges and single mountains too nu merous to describe.
The principal rivers of Afghanistan are the Heri-Rud. which flows through the Herat Valley; the Helmand. the largest river of Afghanistan, which rises near the Eamian Valley and flows in a general southwestern direction, entering the Lake of Hamun ; the Kabul, a tributary of the Indus, and the Amu-Daria (Oxus), which forms the northern boundary of Afghanistan.
The climate is generally healthful and dry, al though there are great variations of temperature, -which rises as high as 100 degrees in the summer and falls as low as I0 degrees in the winter.
The rainfall is very scanty. even during the rainy season, and for agricultural purposes a system of irrigation, called karez, is maintained. It consists of subterranean channels connecting the springs with one another, by which the water is brought to the surface.
The mineral deposits of Afghanistan are sup posed to be very rich, but so far the expectations have not been realized. Iron, lead, and sulphur are worked on a small scale, and gold is found in small quantities in some of the hills and rivers, while precious stones are known to exist in Bad:11:1141am The flora is very rich in the valleys, while the mountains are all barren, except those in the north, which are covered with forests to an ele vation of 10,000 feet. The main products are wheat, corn, rice. grapes, sugar, tobacco, and cotton. The country is especially famous for its fruits, which include apples, pomegranates, and peaches of an excellent quality. Vegetables are also grown to a considerable extent, and a very important product is the asafoetida. a resinous gum exported in large quantities to India.
The fauna includes the leopard. wolf, bear, cheeta. hyena, jackal. various gazelles, and wild asses: Among the domestic animals may be mentioned the horse, the dromedary, ass, cow, two kinds of sheep, and the goat.