The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1916-12-01
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 CoIonists.

How Russian ~colonists have strug-
gled and conquered in Russian Cen
trail Asia is revealed by Stephen Ora
ing tour through that comparatively
unknown section of the earth.
After crossing the Caspian sea from
Baku to krasnovodsk Mr.. Graham
took the desert railway, on which the
trains average q speed of only II
miles an hour over the Indifferent
sleeperS. The western mind might find
this railway inexplicable. Why a Ges-
ert line while many OF the railways at
home are undeveloped, and strategic
railways are unhuilt! 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 Il dis
tant string of camels moving across
the sand parallel to the line. He de-
scrihes them as looking like a scrap
of eastern handwriting between earth
and heaven" Anyone who has seen
Il string CT camels on a vague hori-
zon will recognize the aptness of the
smile.
Only irrigation is needed to make
this and other Central Asia deserts
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 col
onists. A messenger is sent in advance
to choose d 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 tw.igs! A month on
this sun-beaten road leaves no doubt
in the ~emigrant's mind as to what is
the first neceSsity-Shade, shade. Trees
are planted all along the main gov
eminent dixie.
The ~colonist chooses the place for
his house; he digs a trench all around
it and lets in water frcm the dixie, and
he plants trees along the trench. Then
he buys stout poplar trunks and will
low trunks, and makes the framework
low tNigs and makes the sort Of Wilted
green, slightly shady, slightly sunny
house that children might put up in a
wood in England.
His o o he makes of prairie glass,
great reeds 10 to ID feet il length and
thick and strong. or Of willow twig,
again and turf. II his second year he
has a little lay harvest on his roof. He
plows his little bit of desert. He ex
changes some Of his oxen for cows. lie
strives With all his power-as does {
transplanted fover-to take root.
lie looks forlorn. You look at his
poor estate and say: 1t is a poor ex.
pertinent. The SUI is too strong for
him, he will just wither off, and thu
desert will lie as before
But you come another day and you
see a change. ana exclaim: lie has
taken root after all there is q shoot Of
young life there. tender aa1 green"
All Russian Central Asia, says Mr..
Graham, has been won almost without
fighting. Military professions were
generally all that was necessary. Bols-
hara and Khiya came under Russian
protection, the railway was built. and
Russia became the nest important
Moslem power in Central Asia. But
had 1t net been for the patient colon
lists who put together their Waite and
mud houses in tie wake Of the army.
the settlement could never have been
a reality.