TENURE AND USE OF LAND. 99 



On the south, tlie whole of central Siberia is bordered as is known by lofty mountain 

 ranges, the Altai, Alatau and Sayan. But the mountain systems of these ranges fill up a 

 locality, almost uninhabitable and in no way belonging to the composition of the cultivated 

 zone of Siberia. Only here and there the last offshoots of the mountains having the form of 

 small hills enter into the limits of this zone. Further the whole cultivated part of the cen- 

 tral Siberian polesie presents, speaking generally, a typical flat elevation, and the considerable 

 inequalities to be found upon its susface proceeded almost exclusively from the fact that 

 the rivers have washed out in it more or less deep valleys. "Where the rivers are well filled 

 and their beds situated near to each other, there the general plain character of the locality 

 is completely masked. Flat expanses are hardly to be seen, the whole contour is composed 

 of the uvals bordering the river valleys, and the locality produces the Impression of a hilly 

 district, where the interriverine watersheds seem to be as it were low mountain ranges. 

 Where the rivers are less close together and not so full, the flat character of the locality 

 s.hows itself quite manifestly, and the narrow river valleys occupy only an insignificant part 

 of the space compared with the flat watersheds. As will immediately appear, such a flat 

 contour, on account of the soil conditions connected therewith, is much less favourable to 

 the successful development of agriculture, than a more rolling contour. 



As far as regards soil, a characteristic feature of the central Siberian forest region, 

 at any rate of its cultivated portion, (in the taiga, tenacious gray clayey soils prevail) is the 

 predominance of chenioziom, and in general, dark-coloured soil. At the same time, in distinction 

 to the soils of the Tobolsk government rich in humus, the chernozioms of this locality do not 

 possess a brownish tinge but are dyed a perfect black. As in the localities, described earlier, 

 the character of the soil is here also in the closest dependence upon the contour. The high- 

 quality soils with a dry land flora are situated exclusively upon spots with a high relief, 

 affording a free drainage to the water, and consequently mainly on the uvals bordering the 

 river valleys. Where the uvals are more gently sloping, the soil is deeper (from 6 to 8 ver- 

 shoks) and richer in humus, (10 to 12 per cent). It has a perfectly black colour and while 

 preserving its clayey character, is yet faiiiy friable. Both in lespect to its physical ijualities 

 and the degree of abundance of nutritious substances, this soil is very favourable for the 

 cultivation of grain and especially for rye. Where the uvals are more abrupt, the percentage 

 of humus is less (from 5 to 6 per cent), the thickness of the soil does not exceed 4 to 6 

 vershoks, its colour instead of black becomes gray, the soil itself is much more tenacious, 

 and its productiveness perceptibly lower than that of the black soils, earlier characterized. As 

 for the flat interriverine plateaux, there black soils with a vegetable character prevail. More 

 often tenacious, muddy, clayey soils are met with, more rarely friable soils composed of huuius 

 and peat. Notwithstanding the considerable depth (12 to 16 vershoks and more) and the rich- 

 ness in humus (15 to 17 per cent), the soils of both types are little adapted to the cultiva- 

 tion of grain. Not to speak of wheat, even rye grows badly on them, so that the lands with 

 a vegetable soil are principally sown with oats. 



It is now clear why the rolling contour of the locality in the central Siberian forest 

 region is more suited to raising grain than the flat relief. Where slopes prevail, there black 

 and grey soils of good quality preilominate, so that in localities ploughed up in all directions by 



