— 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 Kavaklé 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 
