2(J SIBERIA, 



Mhciia. Ill lliis |(iiiliuii till! loii'sls hriDitu; lliiiiii"'!' ami siiiiilliT aii<l (.liuii^'c into low biLshes. 

 I lit' bdf/^'y iiiar>li laml ciivcicil wllli iiinssrs ami lifln.-ns is fioz«.'ii lor llii; giealcr purl of Iho 

 \<ni ami i> lutalU iiiilitliii Ini an a^M'i<'iil(iiral M-ltlctl liatjitatioii. Tin; iimloi-.soil of tlio mursbes 

 iiiv< r I haws Im^Iow a dcptli nT oiii- ami a liall aisliiiios ami coiisists of jiitfniiiltf'iil strata of 

 Imzi'ii cat 111 mill clay ami nl pun; i<i', wliirli tliiis i'oniis, as it wen', lln' rurk rDiiijatirni of 

 till- ili>ll'irt. 



TIm' cliiiiatic comlitidiis of i;af.|i nl' tlicso llirco zoinis an- iialiirally v<;ry «liiri;reril, and 

 ill iliiiii i^ alsii I'liiiml ilic r\|ilaiialioii of tin; liiircix'iici.! in iIh: coinparativo lilm-ss of each 

 liir <iilii\iiii(iii ami ((ildiii/jiliiiii. Jn fjfcmTai, ronipared uilli llic cJiiMalt.' of ili<; coiTCSponding 

 lalilmk's df ]Mii(i|i(.'aii Kiissia, llie <liiiial(; of Western Siberia is distinguislicd by its 

 //real (■iiiiiiiiciilaliiy, uliirli is seen in ilie lower average yearly temperature coinpareil with the 

 hiialiiics lyiiit!; niider nm; ami the same degree of lalitutle in European Russia, in the greater 

 severily (d the wiiilds and roii.sc(|iiciiily in I lie greater diirereiice between the average temper- 

 ature id .MiniimT and wiiilec, and between I he coldest and warmest iiiuiitlis, and lastly in the 

 somewiial sinaller rainrall and snowt'ail. 



'J'iius in the eiillivated agriculinial zuiie ul Wesleiii Siberia, the average yearly lem|ter- 

 aiiire is iiraiiy zere, or fur tiie average, taken at eight points of observation -j-O'SS", while 

 iliat ul liii' saiiii' laiiiiidcs in European Russia does not exceed 8" Celsius. The average 

 winter leinpiTaiun' ol iIk^ ciiliivated agricultural zone of Western Siberia is — 17'\ and during 

 the culdrst nidiillis — 18", wliih; in llie conespdiidiiig parts of Eurupoan Russia it is — 11.5' 

 and during the coldest mouth — 12.5" Celsius. On the other hand the average summer temperature 

 (if -)- 17.5" and that of the warmest month -|- 19.5" even exceed, although not more than half 

 a degree, the similar lciii[)eraiiires in the corresponding latitudes of European Russia. Thus 

 the diil'erence of the average siimmei- and winter temperatures in the agricultural zone of 

 WX'Stern Siberia is 35", wliile in the corresponding parts of European Russia it is 28". The 

 difference of tlie averagt; temperatures oftlie coldest and warmest months in Western Siberia 

 is 39", and in the currespunding parts of European Russia 32"; but there is an entire simi- 

 larity between the average temperatures of the cultivated agricultural zone of Western 

 Siberia and tlie corresponding parts of European Russia during the five months of vegetation, 

 that is, I'liim ilie first of May tu the first cd' October, new style, when the average temperature 

 of one and ihe oiln'r is + 15". Hence this region of Western Siberia is not less suitable for 

 a Settled agricultural lifi; than European Russia between 55" and 58" of the northern latitude, 

 and indeed it is better filled, because the soil (d' Western Siberia is fresher than that of 

 European Russia, the juisiurage richer and vaster, the rivers more abundant in water and 

 there is no want of forests. 



The climatic conditions of the more soulhern lowland and of the excellently sheltered 

 from llic iiorili. although more elevated, valleys of the Altai are still belter. But naturally 

 these conditions in the Altai mining region become less favourable as the elevation increases. 

 Thus at Barnaoul at an absolute elevation of 460 feet the average temperature din'iug the 

 five nioiulis of vegetation is -f- f5°, which is most favourable for the development of agricul- 

 ture, wliili! at Salair at an absolute height of 1,180 feet this temperature scarcely exceeds+lS" 

 Celsius, whieh is noi suitable for the ripenini'- id' the more tender kinds of grain. 



