54 ASIA 



to less than ten inches, the bulk of which falls in winter, 

 partly in the form of snow. On account of this and of 

 the altitude, the atmospheric moisture is extremely low. 

 The main portion of the plateau is treeless and barren. 

 Even for large compact masses of shrub-lands and for 

 permanent and continuous expanses of grass these con- 

 ditions are too severe ; and centres of aridity are formed 

 by salt marshes and sand wastes. 



Anatolia, therefore, is not fit for any other vegetation 

 than a ragged covering of scattered brush and shrubby 

 perennials. The inland ranges are barren : an abundance 

 of thorny plants (shrubs, under-shrubs, and creepers), 

 a development of a woolly covering on the leaves of 

 the lower plants, and a general dusty-grey aspect of 

 the whole plant-world, are characteristic features of the 

 landscape for the greater part of the year; but, during 

 the irregular spells of rainfall, the growth of the rain 

 flora is quite as vigorous as in Persia. 



Up the slopes of the inland mountains, some of which 

 attain a great elevation, the poor scrub and ragged carpet 

 of low, woolly perennials of the plateau pass gradually 

 to similar wastes, in which the alpine character of the 

 scattered plants, and the disappearance even of the 

 isolated shrubs, constitutes the only difference. 



While this description is true of the central plains, 

 the general aspect gradually changes towards the west, 

 where the country becomes more broken. The very 

 scattered brush closes into a loose garigue or a continuous 

 maquis, according to the condition of the soil. In short, the 

 landscape gradually assumes the mediterranean appear- 

 ance of evergreen shrub- and wood-lands. Now the live 

 oak, the olive, the orange-tree and laurel, the fig-tree 

 and, westward, on the upper hills, even pines, occur in 

 increasing abundance. The rainfall has increased to 



