100 miles below Mandalay it is joined by the Chindwin, its largest branch. Its delta is very extensive, being nearly 200 miles in length, with an area of 18,000 square miles. These delta lands are extremely fertile, and densely populated. Rice is extensively cultivated throughout their extent. The mean discharge of the river at its mouth is estimated at 480,000 cubic feet per second, or about the same as that of the Ganges. It is subject to great floods in the rainy season, the flow at this time being often 18 times as great as at low water. It is navigable for large river steamers as far as Mandalay and for smaller craft some distance above Bhamo.

The Salwin is second only to the Irrawaddy in volume. This river throughout its course in Burma flows in a narrow valley, hemmed in by mountains and affording little level land for cultivation. It is navigable for only a short distance, owing to frequent rapids. The Sittang heads south of Mandalay and flows in a broad valley between the Irrawaddy and the Salwin. There are hundreds of minor streams in this well-watered country, but as they partake of the nature of mountain torrents, or are fed by them, they are useless for navigation, at least during the dry season. After the rainy season has begun the larger rivers are crowded with the native boats, for the waterways are the highways of the country. Even before the rain sets in the great rivers begin to swell, owing to the melting of the Himalayan snows. Towards the beginning of July the rivers and their tributaries usually rise 10 to 20 feet, submerging their banks and flooding the low lands. In many places, where in dry weather a cart track is found, there is during the wet season a creek navigable by heavily laden boats. The whole aspect of the country and the mode of life are thus changed with the alternations from dry to wet seasons. The villages of the delta are accessible by water, and it is at this season that the heavy traffic of the country is carried

on.

At Mandalay, where the Irrawaddy is about 2 miles wide, the water rises 30 feet, and in the Salwin there is a rise of 50 feet. These highwater levels are maintained with some fluctuations till September.

Climate. The climate of Burma ranges from that of the eastern Himalayas on the north to that of the tropical oceanic regions on the south, most of the country being in the torrid zone. The monsoons have a powerful effect upon the climate; in winter they blow from the north and northeast off the land and produce the dry season, and in summer they blow from the south and southwest off the sea, causing a heavy rainfall on the coast, and, moving up the river valleys, they carry a heavy precipitation far inland. The rainfall on the coast ranges from 120 to 160 inches and is much greater than this in some special localities. In the interior it is distributed irregularly, being affected by the local topography, but it is almost everywhere ample in amount and in many places excessive, ranging from 40 to 160 inches. The temperature changes with the latitude and altitude and proximity to the sea and with the direction of the monsoons. The coast temperatures are very constant, ranging from 80° to 90°. In the interior the contrast is greater, the temperature ranging from 50° or 60° in winter to 80° or 90° in summer, while at considerable altitudes, in the north, the country is

subject to frosts in the cold season. The great fertility of the soil in Burma is further increased in the lowlands by the fertilizing overflows of the rivers.

Flora. All the land not under cultivation is clothed with dense tropical forests, containing many fine dye and cabinet woods; and in the northern part of the country there is a great deal of teak, one of the most important exports. This wood has a peculiar odor, due to the presence of an oil which repels insects and protects it from decay. The oil tree, yielding gallons of oil every season, is found at the headwaters of the Salwin. Ironwood, which grows in among the bamboo, is abundant and widely utilized. Below the upper forests are the sandstone and laterite, on which the forests are open and stunted. Other trees are the palm, coconut, betel, and palmyra. Breaking the evergreen monotony of the riverside is the nipa palm, with immense fronds somewhat like the coconut. The rubber industry is still in its infancy, as hardly 12 plantations were operated in 1912. Many owners have their land in various stages of clearing and planting, however, as considerable land is available for this industry in the districts of Mergui, Amherst, Hauthawaddy, and Toungoo. The bamboo is universal and exceedingly useful. Planted in front of the houses are coconut and betel palms, giant bamboo, tamarind, mango, and jack, useful for their fruit and shade. The screw pine, castor-oil plant, crotons, begonias, caladiums, balsams, are cultivated in many places. Other fruits are limes, citrons, jujube, guava, cashew, custardapple, orange, mangosteen, and durian, the latter being highly prized. The plantain and banana are the leading fruits of Burma; pineapples and many garden vegetables also abound.

Fauna. Elephants, rhinoceroses, tigers, leopards, four species of deer, buffaloes, oxen, and goats, bears, tapirs, boars, wildcats, monkeys, gibbons, and crocodiles furnish game for the hunter. The Asiatic elephant attains a larger size here than elsewhere.

Burma is, in fact, the land of elephants; they are not only still plentiful in the wild state, but are used to a large extent as draught animals. The ox, horse, and buffalo also serve the purposes of labor, and especially among these the buffalo, which is a valuable draught animal in the muddy regions. Peacocks (the national emblem), silver pheasants, and jungle fowl of various sorts abound, as do also many other birds that are hunted for sport and food. Rats are almost a plague in the north provinces.

Mineral Resources. Burma is believed to be very rich in mineral resources, though little beyond a rough survey has been made, and most of the gold and silver used is imported from China, India, and Europe. Some of the rivers contain gold in the sand, which is washed out by the natives. Silver, copper, lead, iron, antimony, bismuth, and tin are also mined, but not as yet in large quantities. Large quantities of wolfram have been found in the Tavoy District. Nitrates, salt, limestone, and amber, serpentine, coal in abundance, and petroleum are found. The oil fields of Burma produce practically the whole output of petroleum in India. Their yearly output exceeds 230,000,000 gallons. chief mineral wealth thus far developed has come from the mines of jade, ruby, and sapphire, which are discovered in the sand and gravel of Upper Burma. Mining is still in its

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