438 Mr. Douglas Carruthers on the 



across the steppes. Spring comes suddenly, and during 

 this season most of the rain falls ; in summer the climate is 

 hot, but dry and invigorating. 



The yearly rainfall varies from 97*1 mm. near the Sea of 

 Aral to 3377 mm. at Samarkand. On the high plateaux the 

 rainfall is again very small : the Pamirs have a yearly fall 

 less than that of the Aral basin. 



The altitude varies from 200 feet above the sea-level on 

 the Bokharan Steppe to 20,000 feet on the ranges of 

 Eastern Bokhara. But the life-zone ends at about 15,000 

 feet, -which is the height of the average snow-line. 



As regards physical features, on the low country we 

 have an area of sand-dunes of the most utter desolation 

 where no life exists, as well as an area of tamarisk and 

 scrub - covered sand-hills and tamarisk-swamp. Above 

 this is the hard steppe which runs from 500 feet up to 

 4,000 feet. These high steppes are a peculiarity of Asiatic 

 scenery. 



The cultivated area is confined to a district between 200 

 feet and 3,000 feet. Of course cultivation does exist at a 

 higher altitude ; orchards are to be seen high up the moun- 

 tain valleys, and barley is grown as high as 8,000 feet, but 

 the main area, where the large towns are situated and the 

 vast proportion of produce is raised, lies at about 2,000 feet, 

 where the rivers leave the mountains and render irrigation 

 possible. This region includes practically the whole of the 

 tree-area, there being no true forests. 



The remaining half of the region is composed of moun- 

 tain-ranges, very difficult of access. Out of the Bokharan 

 steppes rise the immense ranges of Hissar and Turkestan, 

 which border the Zarafschan on the north and south. The 

 mountains might be divided into three areas — the low, rocky, 

 barren, desert-ranges from 2,000 feet to 0,000 feet, the bush- 

 clad or juniper forest area from 7,000 to 9,500 feet, and lastly 

 the alpine region above 10,000 feet, varying up to 15,000 feet 

 according to the snow-line. The juniper forest is confined to 

 the area between 7,500 feet and 9,500 feet, and holds perhaps 

 the most interesting fauna, the birds being mostly peculiar to 



