AFGHANISTAN, or the country of the Afghans, comprehends a large district between India and Persia, lying between 28' and 35° N. lat., and between 132° and 73° E. long. The valley of Kabool contains many fertile and beautiful spots, studded with villages. fruits of Kabool constitute the prin cipal article of trade ; they go to Hindustan. Grapes of a dozen different kinds are grown, but only two species bear exportation. Red and white melons are raised in abundance. The wild rhubarb root is used to make pre serves ; and the vegetables are excellent. On the slope of the Suliman mountains at the eastern part of Afghanistan, is the Salt-range, where extensive beds of rock-salt are found interstratified with limestone.
The central table-land of Afghanistan being very arid, the natives adopt an ingenious mode of forming aqueducts for irrigation, by which the water of a hill or rising ground is brought out at its foot in a rivulet, to be dis posed of at the pleasure of the farmer. Such aqueducts, called karezees, are made in the following manner. A well is made at the spot where it is intended the water shall issue ; above it in the acclivity is dug another at the distance of five to twenty yards, aeeording to circumstances. The wells are continued at distances generally equal, until the quantity of water collected in them is deemed suffi cient, or until the depth of the wells becomes so great that the expense exceeds the advan tage. If the acclivity is not very gentle, the highest wells must be very deep, as their bottom must be only slightly elevated above the level of the water in the lower wells. All these wells are then connected by means o aqueducts made under the surface of the ground, through which the water from all of them flows to the foot of the hill.
Afghanistan has great mineral wealth. Gold, silver, and copper, are found in various parts ; some of the iron found near Peshawur is believed to be nearly equal to that of Sweden, and is largely exported to India.
Lead, salt, alum, and saltpetre, are also among the natural products of the country.
The grains cultivated are wheat, barley, peas, beans, maize, rice, and some other grains of Hindustan, as jowary, chuna, musoor, bajra, moth, moong, oord, and murhwa. The most common vegetables are carrots, turnips, radishes, lettuce, cauliflowers, onions, garlic, melons, and cucumbers, with a few others from Hindustan. Madder is extensively grown on the central table-land ; and turmeric, assafeetkla, and many other useful plants, grow extensively. Forests are only found on the Himalaya mountains and the Sufaid-Coh. There are no woods on the table-land, and all the trees found there are planted generally in rows along the water courses and canals, and around the orchards. The mulberry tree is' very extensively cultivated; and among the fruits grown are apples, pears, cherries, plums, apricots, peaches, quinces, and pome granates.
The most important of the domestic animals are the sheep. There are two kinds, both with the broad fat tail, which in some parts of the Eimack mountains is so large that a small cart or frame is put under the tail to support it. These sheep yield two fleeces: the spring or coarser fleece is used for carpets, grain bags, and other coarse stuffs; the autumn or finer fleece is manufactured into cloth, cloaks, and mummuds or rugs. Goats are nearly as numerous as sheep; and some of them yield a fine and remarkably soft down, which grows at the root of the hair: the hair is long and usually jet black, but the down is of a shade more or less intensive. Horses, mules, and asses are plentiful; camels and cattle less so. The cats of Kabool are distinguished by their long silky hair, and go under the name of Persian eats, though very few of them are found in Persia, and none are exported from that country. These eats are exported in great numbers from Kabool, where the people encourage the growth of the hair by washing it with soap and combing it.