Page 498 - 3 Persian Trade rep KUWAIT 1_Neat

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Labour.
Tho price of labour remained high throughout the year ; an unskilled
labourer earned from 2s. Cd. to 3s. Grf. a day, a carpenter from 8s. to 12s., a
mnRon from 8s. to lGs. a day, a boat builder from 4s. to 8s.
Mineral*.
Tho only mineral product worked is gypsum mortar, which is manufac­
tured by tho simple process of tiring rubbish in broad shallow excavations.
There is a largo gypsiferous tract on tho outskirts of Kuwait town, and it is
found in several other parts of the principality.
Domestic Animals.
The most valuable domestic animals are camels, of which there arc largo
numbers, sheep, goats and donkeys; of the latter many of a large white breed,
originally from llasa, arc found in the town. These are sometimes over
thirteen hands in height, and a good one will fetch over £45. There are also
some horses and a few horned cattle.
Agriculture.
Neither Kuwait nor its environs can boast of any agricultural resources.
There arc no date plantations of any value, no fields, and not many kitchen
gardens. The villages to tho south-east of Kuwait supply -a limited but
increasing quantity of vegetables and melons. The chief agricultural centre
in the principality is Jahrah. The staple crops are wheat, barley and lucerne,
but melons, water melons, pumpkins, beans and some other vegetables are also
grown. There are some 2,500 date trees. The above crops are mostly irrigated,
but a small amount of wheat and barley is grown by rainfall alone. The
agriculture of Jahrah might be considerably increased if more money were
sunk in it.
The next more important agricultural centre is the island of Failakah
whore wheat and barley are grown with some success on the clayey patches,
also lucerne, melons and some vegetables, especially carrots, which are of an
exceptionally fine quality, but the agriculture of the island is generally inferior
to that of Jahrah.
Rainfall.
The total rainfall during the year was 3’47 inches and was distributed
as follows :—
May 1924 . •6"
December 1924 1*24“'
January 1925 *92*'
February „ •27*
March „ •44*
Public Health.
The health of the town remained good throughout the year under review.
Though small-pox was endemic yet it did not exact a heavy tolL There were
a few cases of hooping cough. The chief complaints were of digestive and eye
troubles.
Quarantine restrictions against plague were imposed on all persons arriving
from Bahrain, Bunder Abbas and Qishm from April to June inclusive. In
the first two weeks of November quarantine restrictions were again imposed on
passengers coming from Dubai on account of plague. There were no cases of
plague in the town.
The quarantine buildings at Shuwaikli proved satisfactory.

924(C) PAPD