C l im a t e
a n d S e a s
o n s . '
Face of the
Country*
C H A P T E R TV.
N à t d r -'Aü' G e o g r a p h y ,
Climate miêgSédfonSi~r-Face \of the Country.—-Soil and Agricultitfè.~^~FLirùers.~
- Lakes.—-Mountains^—Forefis.^—Botany^—-Zoology.—Mineralogy.■ —Mineral
Waters.—Natural Curiofities.
I N Afiatiç Ruffia the climate extends from the- vine at the1 bottom .off
A Caucasus, to the fofitary lichen on the rocks- of the ar&ic ocean*
Through the greater part -of Siberia," the moft fouthern frontier!-,being;
about 50°, jwhile the northern.afcend* to y8°, .the general climate« may
more' juftly be regarded as frigid than temperate j -being, in three-
quartets of the country, on a level with that of- Norway and Lapland*,,
uhtemperedhy the gales of the Atlantic. To dmTbnth'èl thé if|a- ö£
Baikal tbe climate parallels with that -of Berlin, and the north of Gera-
many, fo that the fineft and moft fertile regions in middle Afia belong
■ to the Chinefe. The chains of high mountains, which form -the Tbuth—
era boundary of thefo provinces, alfo contribute ttfincreafo the cold;
and the fea of Baikal is'commonly entirely ffo"zeö from 'December tilk
May. The fineft climate- in thefe eaftern parts feems -to< be that of
Daouria, or the province around Nerlhinfk ; and thé nurù-erbus towns
on the Amur evince the great fnperiority; of what is called Chinefe-
Tatary,. which is 'comparatively a fertile -and temperate region.: The-
change of the feafons is very rapid: the long winter is aim oft inftan-
taneoufly fucceeded by a warm fpringj and the quicknefs-and luxuriance
of the vegetation exceed defcriptiop.
In a general view of Afiatic Ruffia,. the northern’ and eaftern parts-
pmfeht vaft marfhy plains, covered with almoft perpetual fnow,. and
pervaded by enormous rivers, which, under maffes of ice, ptirfue their
5 dreary
dreaty *way'.t&;Are.AnSic/o4eMi(.; ';iE’^ni'-theifentmI Tarts of Siberia- feerh
deftitutiifcof Sreesyivegetariop^st^inigdchecksd ,sby; the fevferp ’cold of fo
:T°'wa«d®fjtifee vaft of pine,
fir, darcb, and other tr-egs, am®J8gr whish^ a 'kind of mulberry, which
mighti ppubfi^yhAhriyif m many wfeith/r ate now
deftitute of' that valuable tree» The- iiublime fdenes around the Tea of
Bqi>aV-ar«1| y e<^y--8<mttafled with -hpipan fod*e|ky,, the'
cnlti?!atedit|peld and the gardepjf»fyenin thja;fouth the(riyfrs,have already
Taeqpiredj th^iize pf£the „Dapphe, and; »|he Rhine, an^ they are
■ ppyrgahle yith fafety, far'-a, gr^tt e # e r p | ^ . s I l l p A f t e p p s :
Aiiati^^\buf',thp ihpuntain&do not
correfp.ondin.dig®hy, rather pefemblin-g^thefApinnineSi .than-the
nr.jeveii the Pyrenees-u $
j - Many pa»»* toSd^idoBkpdMe.- >; hntv'ih
the £»thetm > 'and -yeftern^difirifibs the- fojliiisl:x#®ewa)ikablefertility.
Towards the north ;o£. Koly van barfey generally yields more-th an-twelve
fpld,. and., sPatS' commonly. twenty: i fold.! .Buck.jssheat,- - irl »this Black
light »mbnldy is ^aptito,- .run; 1 into. Salkpbshfi: f o h m i i i p 1 fpots ■
to fifteen! fold?;
the’ufukl {European- gi^nfc|)iro^^dA^fcdi^BitlSiMri*rt;;-It iisvrehiarfc-
able that.the culture J®£:f>©l9tQS$ has-'POUy.fit appeared^ the Tb*ufla2,ns
h%A|i§gsf^nei-ftmfi0e prejudice ^gamfoihatyanva&kblfe: planK In: tome’
parts..flax ,,g#oys, j Wild,- and:- heiftp,«Lalfoi'pr^pdfednfeoih' the -’nettle.
Woad is. found iai.-Sib.eriajdaq,d faffron near tltedCdaBafiik-id^Na^afture •
;«£the plivie tiq^. hj^ hte^: attempted-®tarrAftrkean,0 aMd-<th&’ heatih£the^
•fummer was-fojffieie nt,. .but
'yhubjff!? vaboiph.d8' q®{sth'elbs®t]|s' -.of :th'eiBfiiyiiAiJaifc, TjidtKe .foufherm
»diftri'iftsKwatetediby the ICenifei,- arid- in:the:;nmuntaiElsnof JJaefctrte, and:
mi^tife-cnitivated'mithladvantuge fos thefbi&siiitttivb- felons;
Butin alppaetsiof-the Ruffian lempire agricultUfdTias^iftJKiiiittle-pro^
grefs.t :,tiM!indeeffi^itpofflde;wbil&-the peasantry - afeflayes,,' iabffifeffl.:
with the .foiland if even.afree^fonine* acqtdrefss l||M^.moneyy :a|p.bKhJ
He^hbo-yr; will: .foize thex fouitsiof his I induftry. In iphe- Of thdfe Ohi-
F a c h o fth e
C t IU S T A l.
Soil and
Ægriculwrsi-
* See. B ell’s animated- defcrigtiomof this region. ’ T-ooke’s View, iiii 238.
; ftàcles