288 THE SMALL GRAINS 



nearly all of the cereals. The Russian portion is char- 

 acterized by early, drought-resistant varieties. Some 

 of the most hardy and otherwise interesting prosos are 

 found there. In the Chinese portion, all the cereals, in- 

 cluding rice, are grown in the Tarim Basin, in Kashgaria, 

 and at Khotan. The rice and often the other cereals 

 are irrigated. Seeds of several of the cereals have been 

 found in excavations of old cities in this region. 



304. The Tibetan-Himalaya Highlands. The large 

 Tibetan plateau, the Himalaya mountain districts, and 

 Kashmir are included in this region. Here cereals are 

 found growing at their highest known altitudes. It is 

 particularly a region of early, hulless, and blue-kerneled 

 barleys. Hulless barley flour roasted (tsamba) and 

 boiled with tea often forms the principal food of the 

 natives. Cereals are in no place abundant, and are 

 always grown under the severest climatic conditions. 

 Irrigation is often practiced. In the basin of Dangra 

 Yum Lake in Hor Province, Tibet, barley is grown in con- 

 siderable amount at an altitude of 15,200 feet, or higher 

 than the summit of Pikes Peak. The Himalaya and 

 Kashmir districts are noted for their barleys. 



305. The Arabian-Persian region. The region in- 

 cluding Arabia and Persia is, in large part, yet to be 

 explored agriculturally. Some of the most drought- 

 resistant cereals are native. Black-chaffed barley and 

 brown-chaffed wheats are found somewhat dwarfed, with 

 stiff glumes and hard kernels. The cereals so far seen 

 from this region are distinctive and very hardy, but 

 require further study. 



306. The Mediterranean region. In this region is 

 included, in general, the entire Mediterranean shore land, 

 but particularly North Africa and Syria. This region is 



