128 FROM NORTH POLE TO EQUATOR. 



pact, well-established stretches of timber ; and they are, when one 

 sets foot in them, disappointing. 



On the other hand, the pine-forests which cover all the regions 

 between the river-courses often fascinate and satisfy the traveller 

 from the west. If the tundra has not gained upon them or begun 

 to make its desolating mark, they consist in the main of vigorous 

 pines and Norway spruce firs, the pichta or Siberian silver fir, 

 the cembra pine, and more rarely larches. Among these there are 

 aspens and willows, with occasional mountain-ash and bird-cherry, 

 while birches often appear in as great vigour as in woods which 

 consist exclusively of this accommodating tree. The pichta and 

 the cembra pine are the characteristic trees of all West Siberian 

 pine -forests, and vie with one another in beauty and vigour 

 of growth. The pichta is a particularly beautiful tree. Nearly 

 related to our silver fir, and representing it in all East Russian and 

 West Siberian woodlands, even from a distance it catches the eye, 

 standing out impressively from among all the other conifers. From 

 the silver fir and from the Norway spruce fir the pichta is distin- 

 guished by the stateliness of its slender conical crown and by the rich, 

 delicate, bright green needles. Almost always it overtops the other 

 trees of the forest; usually, indeed, the topmost third is above the 

 crowns of its neighbours, thus effectively breaking the sky-line of 

 the forest and giving an individual character to certain regions. The 

 cembra or stone pine, which flourishes especially in the south of the 

 forest zone, though it also occurs far to the north, has round, smooth, 

 usually compact tops which contrast well with those of the other 

 pines and firs; and it also contributes not a little to the external 

 adornment of the forest, towards making it seem more attractive 

 than it is. Pines and spruce firs are nowhere absent, but they do 

 not flourish everywhere as they do in the mountains of Central 

 Germany; towards the north they sink rapidly into crippled senility. 

 And so is it also with the larches, whose true home is Siberia; it is 

 only in the south of the forest zone, especially on the mountains, 

 that they attain the stately height of those in our country. 



The above-named species include almost all those which occur 

 regularly in the woodlands of Western Siberia. There seems to be 



