28 ASIA 



a good many of which, by reason of their hardiness, have 

 been acclimatized in Europe and are becoming familiar 

 features of our parks and gardens. Further inland, 

 however, one sees that the flora of Amuria, similar to 

 that of Europe in many respects, has been carried along 

 the range of the Khingans south to the Tsin-ling-shan : 

 there oaks, hazels, birches, and conifers are to be found. 



In the east of northern China is an undulating lowland, 

 the Yellow Basin, covered with enormously thick layers 

 of a fine, porous, and extremely rich soil of a yellow 

 colour, the incomparable ' yellow earth ' or loess which is 

 deeply furrowed by rivers and roads. No soil more 

 suitable for the growth of cereal crops is found any- 

 where, and it vies with the ' black earth ' of Russia in 

 fertility. Further down the valley, arms of the river 

 flow above the general level of the land across the 

 alluvial plains, and are partially and with difficulty kept 

 within bounds by means of levees, hence periodical 

 floods cover the region, often with the most disastrous 

 results. 



Both the yellow belt and the delta are utilized for 

 agricultural purposes to the fullest extent, and conse- 

 quently support a dense population. Barley, millet, 

 wheat, maize, cotton, tobacco, and hemp are abundantly 

 cultivated, and yield admirable crops. As might be ex- 

 pected, the loess belt, naturally rising above water-level 

 and consequently cultivated more easily, was also settled 

 and utilized before the flood portion, which offers greater 

 difficulties. 



The hill-land of Shan-tung has been entirely de- 

 forested and opened to agriculture. The hill-land west 

 of the Gulf of Liaotung is a beautiful park, with rich 

 meadows and patches of coniferous woods. 



In a sense, the Chinese nation was cradled in the 



