THE FORESTS AND SPORT OF SIBERIA. 129 



a complete absence of oak and beech, elm and ash, lime and maple, 

 silver fir and yew, hornbeam and black poplar. On the other hand, 

 there are many kinds of bushes and shrubs in abundance every- 

 where. Even in the north the undergrowth of the forests is sur- 

 prisingly rich and luxuriant. Currants and raspberries flourish to 

 a latitude of 58, a species of woodbine occurs up to 67; juniper, 

 white alder, sallow, crowberry, bilberry, cranberry, and cloud- 

 berries increase rather than decrease as one goes north; and even on 

 the margins of the tundra, where dwarf -birches and marsh-andro- 

 medas, mosses, and cowberries insinuate themselves into the interior 

 of the woods, the ground is still everywhere thickly covered, for the 

 mosses thrive the more luxuriantly the poorer the woods become. 

 The steppes also contribute to enrich the woods, for in the south 

 of the forest zone, not only most of the steppe-bushes and shrubs, 

 but also various herbs and flowers, enter or fringe the forest. Thus 

 certain wooded stretches of this border-land become natural parks, 

 which in spring and early summer display a surprising splendour 

 of blossom. 



As an instance of a forest glorious in such charms, I may men- 

 tion that region known as " Taiga," 30 which lies between the towns 

 Schlangenberg and Salain, in the domain of Altai. In the broad 

 tract which this beautiful forest covers there is a most pleasing 

 succession of long ridges and rounded hills, valleys, troughs, and 

 basins. One hill rises beyond and above another, and everywhere 

 one sees a sky-line of forest. Pines and pichta firs, aspen and 

 willow, mountain-ash and bird-cherry, are in the majority among 

 the high trees, and are mingled in most pleasing contrasts of bright 

 and dark colour, of light and shade. The soft lines of the foliage 

 trees are pleasingly broken by the conical summits of the pichta 

 firs which overtop them. The two species of Siberian pea-tree, 

 guelder-rose and woodbine, wild rose and currant are combined in 

 the brightly blooming undergrowth; Umbellifers as tall as a 

 man, especially hemlock; spiraea; ferns such as maidenhair, lark- 

 spur and foxglove, bluebell and hellebore all shooting up in un- 

 paralleled luxuriance, weave a gay carpet, from which the wild 

 hops climb and twine up to the tall trees. It is as if the art of the 



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