'Military Report on Persia' [‎44v] (93/134)

TO
Silk.
Carpets.
Wool.
Ordinary tobacco is also grown in email quantities in
the province of Kermanshah, and at Urumiah and Resht,
cbiedy for home consumption The total value of the
unmanufactured tobacco exported during the year ending
March 1903 amounted to about 25,000/., an almost
equivalent amount being imported, chiefly from Turkey
and Russia.
The silk industry has recently been revived in
Northern Persia, and the silkworm is now extensively
reared in Ghilan and Mazanderan, the export of cocoons
constituting an important and rapidly increasing trade.
During the year ending March 1903 over 1,000 tons of
cocoons, valued at 240,000/., were exported from Resht,
chiefly to Marseilles and Milan. The eggs of the silk
worm are imported from Asia Minor. In addition to the
export trade, nearly one-half of the production finds a
market in Tabriz, Kashan, Isfahan, Yezd, Kerman, and
Meshed, where it is used in the manufacture of carpets,
brocades, velvets, &c. A considerable quantity finds its
way to Baghdad via Kermanshah. Silk is also culti
vated, but in insignificant quantities, at Yezd, Kashan,
and Urumiah ; and, in Kborasan, at Sabzawar and
T u rbat-i-Haidari.
The manufacture of carpets is confined chiefly to
those districts in which wool, grain, and labour are most
abundant.
Kerman carpets are highly esteemed, especially in
Constantinople. In Tabriz the industry has recently
been largely developed, and high-grade carpets are now
produced there. In Sultanabad large quantities of all
grades are produced by the Britisli firm of Messrs.
Ziegler & Co. and the Persian Manufacturing Company.
Pars and Kurdistan are noted for their heavy all-wool
carpets. Many of the silk carpets are woven in Meshed.
All Persian carpets are made on hand-looms, chiefly by
women. The value of the carpets exported during the
year ending March 1903 amounted to nearly 250,000/.
Meshed is now the only large export market for wool
in Persia. All the wool from Khorasan and Sistan
passes through Transcaspia into Russia, a considerable