‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎52r] (108/722)

Page 338, Vol. I.
THE NISHAPUR DISTRICT.
The Nishapur district is a part of the great province of Khorasan, and
has an area of about 2,000 square miles. It is bound-
General description of e( j on nor th and north-east by the great Benalud
the district. mountains, which have an absolute height of 10,000
to 11,000 feet, and on the east by the watershed near Dizbad ; on the
south the bed of the Shureh-rud forms its limit; westwards the district is
separated from that of Sabzawar by the laghan-kuh, and to the north-west
are the Batan mountain, the mountain with the Turquoise mines and the
Marus plain with the Safid-rud. Beyond the Shureh-rud on the south mns
the Kuh-i-Surkh chain, which is a continuation of the Kuhi-i-Mish chain
south of Sabzawar. The southern part of the district as far as the Shureh-
rud is mostly salt steppe and salt desert (Kavir); tire remainder of the district
excepting the mountainous part is very fertile. The bed of the Shureh-rud
lies about 3,500 feet above the level of the sea, the town of Nishapur 3,917
feet, the villages at the foot of the mountains are from 200 to 400 feet
higher, and somn of the villages in the mountainous part of the district are
situated at an altitude of 5,500 feet or more.
The climate of Nishapur is mild in winter and hot in summer, because the
high mountains to the north keep off the cold winds. 1 he lainfall is \ery
small; snow seldom remains long on the ground. On the 11th March
1883, the snow on the mountains had melted up to a height of 7,000 feet,
although the winter of 1882-83 had been exceptionally severe. Tim lowest
temperature observed by me at Nishapur was 27 h., at Maden 10 h. Most
of the streams and rivers of the Nishapur district have their oiigin in the
northern mountains, and nearly all their water is used for irrigation. It, is
only during spring when the snows melt that the waters oi the stieams go
as far as south of Nishapur and these fill the bed of the Shureh-rud ; this
river runs first in a south-westerly direction ; then south of Sabzawar turns
a little to the north-west and runs towards the great Central Persian de
pression, where it loses itself in the Kavir.
The agricultural produce of the district consists principally of rice, millet,
barley, wheat and cotton. The villages of the plain grow much poppy for
opium, but the opium there does not contain much morphine. 1 he castor-
oil plant is much cultivated for lamp-oil. Some villages have white mul
berry tree plantations for the raising of silkworms, and nearly all villages
have orchards of fruit trees—peaches, apricots, pomegranates, pistachios,
plums and cherries. The vine also thrives well. On the mountains near
Nishapur very fine rhubarb [Rheum riv&s) is found ; the rhubarb of
Nishapur is said to be the best in Persia and is much praised by.the old
historians ; it is consumed as a vegetable cooked with meat, or as jam ; it
is also much eaten in its raw state. Another wild plant used s s a vege
table is the Shulpa [Gundeha tournefontii), particularly in spring when it
is tender and sweet; in winter it makes good fodder for cattle. Assafcetida
grows on some mountain slopes, a few fig trees are also occasionally seen.
Of other trees willows, poplars and sanjed [tlaeagnus angnstifolia) exist in
all gardens; plantains are rare ; a few pines are at Qadamgah. In the moun
tains near Bar are old copper and lead mines; near Ahqu and Qaraquchi