1 84 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



and acacia trees, whilst further east, on towards the Valdai 

 hills, extensive forests occupy much of the land. Frequently, 

 when passing along the clearways through the forest, large 

 clusters of acacia and birch trees may be seen growing 

 amongst the pines. These are pointed to by the peasants as 

 being places good for a habitation, as a patch of good land where 

 they would like to live. Several of these coveted patches may be 

 seen in process of preparation for farming : the trees having been 

 felled, the scrub and roots are burnt out ; after this, the land is 

 ploughed and probably the first crop sown will be flax. When 

 the plot is ready the peasant either builds himself a log cottage 

 on the spot or he removes one he may have elsewhere, transport- 

 ing the structure a few logs at a time by means of a small cart. 



There is some fine rough woodland country about the Valdai 

 hills, wherein rise the small streams which unite at Selisharova to 

 form the river Volga, which flows in a south-easterly direction 

 to the town of Rshef. With the exception of some slight 

 differences in detail, it may be said that all small Russian towns 

 are alike. They consist of an amazing collection of two-storey 

 houses and shops, which are generally built of wood, situated 

 some distance from a railway but close to a river. In the midst 

 of the town will be a large church of pleasant outward appear- 

 ance and close beside an open market place. The roadways and 

 paths will be in a bad condition and everything appear to be in 

 a state of disrepair. 



The best day to visit Rshef is on the Sabbath, market day, for 

 then Rshef is animated as well as muddy. Peasants come into 

 the little town from distant parts, bringing with them all kinds 

 of goods for sale. From soon after dawn until eight a.m., a steady 

 stream of pedestrians and small V-shaped carts come down the 

 main muddy street from the south and across the Volga by the 

 pontoon bridge from the north and up the river bank, all going 

 towards the market. Bags of grain and linseed, bales of flax 

 and baskets of apples form the major part of the traffic but the 

 merchandise exposed for sale on carts and on the ground 

 includes cattle, pigs, poultry, clothing, pottery, apples, baskets, 

 implements of wood, and other commodities. Merchants come 

 from afar to buy grain and fibre : indeed at certain seasons of 

 the year the competition is so great that agents go out to meet 

 these small carts as they approach the town ; business is done 

 at once and the sold goods are brought into Rshef. As would 



