208 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
its concentric rings are exceedingly close together; as soon 
as I have counted their number I will tell you what it is." 
Me KanÉLINE's JoURNEYS IN SIBERIA. 
Siberia and its principal mountains, the Altaic and Sayanian 
Ranges, are now in course of investigation by M. Karéline, 
a traveller, sent out at the expense of the Imperial Society of 
Naturalists, at Moscow. He has visited Barnaoul ; and when 
he last wrote, bis head-quarters were fixed at Semipalatinsk ; 
this latter place possessing many advantages over Barnaoul, 
in being situated south of the slopes of the Altaie Moun- 
tains, and in a country, little known and explored by Natu- 
ralists ; whereas Barnaoul, several degrees more to the north, 
_is already thoroughly investigated through the exertions of 
many successive travellers. Such is the number of spots 
which remain to be visited, and so varied and extensive the 
curious objects, whether in Geology, Mineralogy or Botany, 
which they contain—that M. Karéline declares that a period 
of three years would be too short to do justice to the country 
beyond the Irtysch River. 
M. Karéline writes thus, “ Having sent my young com- 
panion and assistant, Kiriloff, to explore the nothern slope 
of the Tarbagatay Mountains, lying on the frontiers of China; 
and to gather seeds there, I fixed myself at Semipalatinsk. 
The season is not peculiarly favourable to Botany, tho : 
as a compensation, the Birds and Animals are, just now, M 
their highest beauty. Composite and Chenopodiacee engross 
the vegetation. The climate of this place, though situated 
m a very remote part of Siberia, is quite temperate; and 
many plants ripen their seeds, as Erigeron ciliatum, Cirsium 
acaule, Saussurea salsa and S. glomerata, with several Arte- 
misie. Of the latter genus we gathered twenty-two species. 
M. Kiriloff has returned, bringing home but a few, 
though extremely rare, plants ; and we are now occupied 
arranging the different things we have collected and with 
= SS ee ERE 
