142 ACROSS MONGOLIAN PLAINS 



do all the gardening; and the splendid radishes, beets, 

 onions, carrots, cabbages, and beans, which were 

 brought every day to market, showed the wonderful 

 possibilities for development along these lines. North 

 of the Bogdo-ol there is a superabundance of rain and 

 vegetables grow so rapidly in the rich soil that they 

 are deliciously sweet and tender, besides being of enor- 

 mous size. While we were on the plains our food had 

 consisted largely of meat and we reveled in the change 

 of diet. We wished often for fruit but that is non- 

 existent in Mongolia except a few, hard, watery pears, 

 which merchants import from China. 



Mr. Larsen was in Kalgan for the simimer but Mr. 

 Olufsen turned over his house and compoimd for our 

 work. I am afraid we bothered him unmercifully, yet 

 his good nature was unfailing and he was never too 

 busy to assist us in the innumerable details of packing 

 the specimens we had obtained upon the plains and in 

 preparing for our trip into the forests north of Urga. 

 It is men like him who make possible scientific work 

 in remote corners of the world. 



