115 



rivers carry most water, the poplars (P. euphratica) stand with 

 their bases submerged, and he says that the soil round them 

 is only dry at midsummer. I have only seen the riverside 

 thickets from June till August, and my observations confirm 

 that at this time of the year the poplars stand on dry land. 

 On the area I examined the taller trees grew in more ele- 

 vated localities than the low shrubs. 



The poplars can attain a height of up to 10 metres. The 

 type of vegetation they form must be characterised as forest, 

 and ANTONOW'S argument against this, that they only form a 



Figur 21. Forest ("Togai") at Kavakle on the left bank of the Amu Daria. 



Populus pruinosa. At the left side of the man is Elaeagnus hortensis var. 



continentalis. In the foreground, Erianthus Ravennae. End of June. 



narrow strip and "so to speak have only one dimension" 

 does not hold good; they have a considerable width in many 

 places, especially where the river curves and the flood-plain 

 is much wider than the river. 



From Tshardshui to Chiwa Populus pruinosa forms the 

 forests (fig. 21) and only one other tree occurs, namely Elaeag- 

 nus hortensis var. continentalis Serw. This tree scarcely equals 

 the poplar in height and many shrub-like specimens may be 



8* 



