The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-12-08
DEFY ARID WASTES
WONDERFUL WORK OF RUSSIANS
IN CENTRAL ASIA.
All the Military Power Of the Car
Would Have Been OF No Avail but
for the Patient Labor Of
the colonists.

How Russian colonists have strug-
gled and conquered In Russian Cen
trail Asia Is revealed by Stephen Gra-
ham, who has recently made tramp
Ing tour through that comparatively
unknown section Of the earth.
| After crossing the Caspian sea from
! Baku TO KrasnoyOdsk Mr.. Graham
took the desert railway, on which the
trains average a speed Of only II
miles an hour over the indilferenC
sleepers, The western mind might ind
this railway inexplicable. Why des-
ert line while many of the railways at
home are undeveloped, and strategic
railways are unbuilt? The answer is
the results In colonization and trade.
As Mr.. Graham looks out of the
window during his journey a delight
full phrase occurs TO him about a dis
tant string Of cmnels moving across
the sand parallel 10 the line. He de-
scribes them as looking like "a scrap
of eastern handwriting between earth
and heaven" Anyone who has seen
a string Of camels on a vague horl-
zon will recognize the aptness of the
simile.
Only irrigation is needed to make
this and other Central Asia desertsi
blossom like the rose, and the Rus
slams have already done splendid
work in this respect.
Mr. Graham, In his book, Through
Russian Central Asia" describes how
the typical Russian family become COLI
onists. A messenger is sent in advance
to choose a site, and then the family
proceeds to the appointed place.
First Of all, trees are planted" says
Mr.. Graham. How pathetic to see
the long rows of three-foot-high poplar
shoots and willow twigs A month on
this sun-beaten road leaves no doubt
in the emigrants mind as to what is
the first ecessity-shade, shade. Trees
are planted all along the main gov
ernment dixie.
"The colonist chooses the place for
his house; he digs a trench all around
1t and let's in water from the dixie, and
he plants trees along the trench. Then
he buys stout poplar trunks and will
low trunks, and makes the framework
Of his cottage. He interlaces little will
low twgS and makes the sort of wilted
green, slightly shady, slightly sunny
house that children might put up in
wood in England
His roof he makes of prairie grass.
great reeds 10 to 10 feet in length and
.hick and strong or of willow twigs
again and turf. In his second year he
has a little hay harvest on his roof. He
blows his little bit Of desert He ex-
'hanges some Of his oxen for cows. He
strives with all his power-as does u
tlOwer-to take root.
He looks fOrlorn. You look at his
Door estate and say: 1t is a poor ex-
pertinent The sun is too strong for
him, he will just wither off, and the
lesert will be as before
But you come another day and you
zee change, and exclaim: He has
AIKEN root after all there is a shoot Of
oung life there tender and green"
All Russian Central Asia, says Mr..
has been won almost without
ghting. Military professions were
enerally all that was necessary. Box
ara and Khiva came under Russian
rejection, the railway was built and
Iussia became the most important
loslem power in Central Asia. But
ad 1t not been for the patient colon
It's who put together their waffle and
lud houses in the wake of the army.
lie settlement could never have been
reality.