Semi-weekly herald., 1910-09-19

and seedlings planted by the Russians
within the last forty-five years.
The growth is extraordinary There
are acres after acres of full-sized oaks.
| walnuts, elms. lindens, ash, several va
rieties OF naples, horse chestnuts and
mulberries and one variety. with far
spreading branches. small leaves and
very thick foliage, which / have never
seen before The natives call it the
"iarakitchi," which means black ash.
and it makes one of the finest shade
trees | have ever seen. The govern
ment has done remarkable work in
forestration. II Is asserted that more
upon the deserts of Central Asia since
| the first occupation in 1865. and ev-
/ cry one who has seen the groves that
surround the railway stations, the long
colonnades Of poplars that line the
streets of the new Russian towns, the
parks and private grounds can well
believe the statement. Il Is disap.
poiutment, however, that have not
been able TO find anyone willing to as
sert that this forestration has had a
beneficial effect upon the climate OF
the rainfall. Everybody believes that
the trees are promoters of health and
comfort, but no meteorological changes
have been noted.
| The Russian part of Tashkent is a
city OF magnificent distances, and it is
certainly to the credit OF the Rus
sian government that the land thus
occupied was not conGscated from the
conquered natives, but was purchased
from them for a fair price and resold
to Russian immigrants after a suff
oient area had been reserved for ad
ministrative building, military bar
racks, parks, school houses, churches
and other semipublic purposes, The
value OF the land was so small al
that time that everybody bought By
the acre instead of the lot, which ac
counts for the large groves and gar
dcHs that surround every house Blu
real estate is beginning to commant
high rates. and in the business sec
ton OF the city has sold rs high n.
s. a square yard
There is plenty of water from tn,
River Sura, a branch of the Kerashan
and irrigatlng bitches of running wa
Ter on both sides of every street coo
the atmosphere as well as encourag,
the vegetation, and men with bucket
dip from the flowing cutters and dous,
the streets as in India This is yer.
acceptable in the summer months, 70
it does not rain between April ant
November Where the roads are no
springled the dust is fearful, and il
winter the mud is equally disagree
able
| Most OF the streets are 100 feet wide
there are brick or stone sidewalks an,
a driveway in the center is usual.
macadamized. The large compounds
The high walls and the farspreadin
feaidences resemble the foreign settle
ments Of Delhi, Lucknow, Lahore an
other cities of India and China. Mos
OF the buildings are of one story {
accommodate the earthquakes. and eN
cry one, except the shops which hay
show windows opening on the side
walks. is inclosed in high walls an
concealed by shade trees. These con
pounds as the Enclosures are calleC
usually contain the business office
md f
as his residence. The business offic
: usually opens on The street. The res
dence is in the center OF the con
pound and surrounded by gardens, o.
cbards, strawberry beds and lawns.
There are several fine school house
, in the Russian quarter for the bent
y fit of the children of the civil and mil
. tary officers. One side of the publ
park is occupied by large building
in which academies, art schools. tecl
nical schools and other branches G
. secondary and higher education ar
: maintained. Each building occupie
the entire front of the block. One j
for boys and the other is for girls.
The city is thoroughly equipped wit
q electric lights and with running watei
t There are telephones, and street car.
: which are very much needed becaus
t the distances are so great, and almos
S every part of the city, the native SEE
l. ton, the railway station, the Gem,
a terry and all other points where peopl
t want to go are reached by them. Th
e cars are rudely made. but are ope1
/ and the first three seats arc reserve
:. for Europeans who pay double far
e to avoid the crowding, the odors an
/, the creeping things which are said t
2, be caught from the natives.
a Droskys like those in st. Peter
), burg and Moscow are numerous an
t cheap. and the Ichvostniks are gorg,
Gus fellows. wearing sleeveless uverie
OF dark velvet over silk tunics Of brigh
!. colors adorned with fligree buttons c
silver and gilt The horses are not $
good as those of Russian proper, e,
+ cept those driven by the goverumen
o officials and the rich merchants anon
| whom flarn ie n