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. When these woods are very thick, particularly of Pinus 
sibirica, (Y have not observed such to the north of Talowkaja- 
Sopka, at Riddersk,) they will scarcely allow a plant to grow: 
when they are not so close, and the ground is moist, they 
then shelter an uncommonly luxuriant vegetation: Aconita, 
Cimicifuga fütida, Senecio sarracenicus, Cacalia hastata, 
Polemonium caeruleum, Orobus luteus, Peonia hybrida, Arabis 
pendula, and several others, frequently attain a considerable 
height, 8 or 10 feet, and even more; but where the woods 
are very thin, and the ground is dry, there the covering of 
plants is extremely scanty. As to the line of snow, I can 
scarcely, from the observation of a single year, say any 
thing with certainty. On the north side of the mountain, at 
Riddersk, I have seen snow in the hollows at the height of 
. 5,500 feet during the whole summer. I cannot assert, 
from my own knowledge, that this is annually the case; 
though, in answer to my inquiries, I have been informed 
that it is so; the quantity of undissolved snow, however, 
varyiug in different years. On the Plateau of the Korgon, 
I observed, on the side which inclines to the northward, at 
6,700 feet, large masses of snow, in which might be clearly 
distinguished the layers of several years: such a circumstance 
never came under my notice on the southern declivities of 
any mountain. For, whether the summit of the Alp of 
Baschalatki, which, when I saw it on the 26th of July, was 
at some distance from my camp, is always covered with snow 
during summer, I do not know. The countrymen declare 
that such is the fact; but it is extremely difficult to obtain 
Connect, information on similar points from them. To what 
altitude the culture of corn might be successfully prosecuted, 
das not been ascertained by actual trials; yet it deserves t9 
be noticed, on this subject, that I have seen, between the 
villages Belaja and Tokalka, situated to the south of Cholsun, 
corn growing at about 4,000 feet above the level of the set 
hich is also the limit of resident inhabitants, (in the village 
96 x y kalka.) Some Kalmucks, perhaps, who rove in the 
lofty Tschuja-steppe, may pass the winter at a still greater 
height; still their Jurten cannot be termed settled habitations: 
