'IRAQ AND THE PERSIAN GULF' [‎302v] (607/862)

468 IRRIGATION, AGRICULTURE, AND MINOR INDUSTRY
sheep is fatter and larger, but its fleece is coarser. The Awassi,
commonest in the northern Jazira, is a cross between Karadi and
Arabi. The fat-tailed sheep, which is principally found in the neigh
bourhood of Mosul, yields mutton of good quality. The native breeds
are capable of producing fine wools comparable with average Aus
tralian products, and also strong wools for carpet manufacture, which
provides a steady market, but they need considerable selection and
standardization. The Veterinary Department has been experimenting
with various English breeds and crosses with native kinds, apparently
with good success despite the difference of climate.
The number of sheep on which tax was collected in 1938-1939 was
about 5,500,000, but the total number within the country is probably
very much larger. The figure is comparable with the 7,500,000
sheep of the far smaller country of Scotland. The distribution by
provinces (Table I, p. 476) is generally misleading, but the pre
dominance of Mosul and the relatively small figure for Dulaim are
noteworthy. Both indicate the value of adequate summer pasture,
which in Dulaim province is too small a fraction of the extensive
winter pasture available in the desert.
Goats
Goats, being mountain animals, are numerous in the four provinces
of northern Iraq. They are also kept in relatively large numbers in
the adjoining provinces of Baghdad, Diyala, and Kut; elsewhere they
are only of subsidiary importance. The number of goats taxed in
1938-1939 was about 2,250,000, of which 1,500,000 were from north
ern Iraq (Table I, p. 476). They serve the same purposes as sheep
but their produce is less valuable, though ordinary goat-hair is used
for the material from which the tents of nomads are made. There are
three breeds, Syrian, Angora, and Kurdish; the latter two produce
a fine silky mohair much more valuable than the ordinary kind but
are apparently rare, since mohair is imported for commercial pur
poses. Iraqi Angoras need considerable selection to purify the strains
and are generally well below the level of Turkish Angoras both in
purity and physical condition. The annual production of ordinary
goat-hair is about 100 tons.
Cattle
Cattle are mostly kept by fellahin Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. and semi-settled tribesmen in
riverain areas where there is permanent pasture. They are used as
draught animals principally for ploughing and working water-lifts,
and as beasts of burden, but are not bred for meat, though their hides