iz are 
sometimes reaching the height of 5 Sashen (about 10'/2 metres) 
with a stem diameter of half an Arshin (about 0,35 metre). 
The poplars often grow along with reeds on low islands, 
which are covered at high water. The tamarisks grow smaller 
a few fathoms away from the river and become mixed with 
salsolaceous plants which enjoy the moisture, but even at a 
distance of two to three Versts (about 1 kilom.) into the de- 
sert stunted tamarisks may still be seen. 
The vegetation of the river sides contains no flora of herba- 
ceous plants and in this respect it differs from the alluvial forests 
in Russia, where Populus nigra takes the place of P. euphratica. 
ANTONOW is, however, of opinion that the term forest should 
not be used for this formation, because it only appears in 
strips along the rivers and has so to speak only one dimen- 
sion. In my opinion this remark is not quite correct, for in 
some places at least the vegetation in question has a con- 
siderable width, for instance in a deserted river-bed where 
the conditions of moisture are good. 
Where a river bends sharply or has changed its bed, 
“Starizi’ are often formed, enclosed backwaters where bushes 
and rushes grow, and “other herbaceous forms” occur around 
the stagnant water. In this connection, large “swamp-lakes”, 
are also mentioned which are frequently formed in the plains 
by the snow-water in spring. Round these grow salsola- 
ceous plants, but the occurrence of reeds and Tamarix makes 
it reasonable to include these places as riverside thickets. — 
Such thickets are often extensive, the haunts of wild boars 
and numerous birds, but as a rule uninhabited by man, 
hence ANTONOW calls them “biological oases.”’ 
3. The formation of the Loess-steppe is found on the 
same type of soil as the clay-desert, but with more abundant 
moisture; it occurs most frequently at the foot of mountains. 
It is rich both as regards species and individuals. As a type of 
vegetation it corresponds to the steppes of Southern Russia, 
but differs in its floristic composition. (Yet ANronow tells us 
later that no carpet of vegetation is formed, which is an 
important difference between this and the Russian steppe). As 
in southern Russia, Caragana and Prunus grow near streams, 
so here Tamarix is found, and in both countries tall herb- 
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