Meyer: Seeking Plant Immigrants 



117 



IN THE CITY PARK AT MERW. 



The most conspicuous trees, and the ones best adapted to arid portions of the United States, 

 are the white poplar {Populus alba holleana) in the center, and the Karakach (Ulmus 

 campestris imihraculifera) at the right. The white poplar is the principal lumber tree in 

 Turkestan and is widely planted, the trees being sometimes no more than five feet apart. 

 They are free from disease and grow rapidly, even on rather alkaline soils. It can be 

 pollarded successfully. The species is doubtless native of Chinese Turkestan, and is there- 

 fore thoroughly accustomed to a severe desert climate. (Fig. 9.) 



umbraculifera) ; very striking trees they 

 are, with their umbrella-Hke shape and a 

 dense mass of rather small foliage. 

 These trees will be highly appreciated 

 by our settlers in the desert regions. 

 These elms, although drought -resistant, 

 have to be watered. Other trees in that 

 park are Acer negundo, Rohinia pseud- 

 acacia, Sophora japonica, Ailanthus 

 glandulosa, Gleditsia triacanthos, Salix 

 babylonica, Toxylon pomiferum, Catalpa 

 hignonioides,Morus alha,Cydonia vulgaris, 

 Prunus armeniaca and Pirus communis. 



A GERMAN SETTLEMENT. 



On Monday, January 13, there was a 

 great market held in Merw; Turcomans, 

 Afghans, Kirghisians and many other 

 wild looking inhabitants of these re- 



gions here, mingled through one another. 

 The products that were brought in 

 were mostly very poor, like the fruits 

 and vegetables for instance. I bought 

 some barley, millet and wheat, but 

 found little new. In the afternoon we 

 hired a cart and went to a German 

 colony thirty werst northeast of Merw. 

 The cultures are not in the pitch of 

 perfection, as it is a rather new colony. 

 The system of cotton-culture is as the 

 Turcomans have it, viz., a field is 

 divided into a nimiber of square plots, 

 each plot with ridges all around. The 

 cottonseed is sown broadcast by hand 

 and the plots are flooded whenever they 

 get dry. Cultivation of the land is not 

 much practised beyond keeping the 

 weeds down. 



