‘Mongolia’ (II)
This week, we’ll continue with ‘Mongolia’ by Ruth Bjorklund.
12. Steppes and grassland cover more than 50% of the Mongolian landscape. Native rhubarb grows in abundance on the steppe, as does Russian thistle, or tumbleweed. The steppe is a sea of colour in spring and summer when abundant wildflowers bloom, including irises, lilies, geraniums, delphiniums, edelweiss, sweet peas, wild roses, asters, buttercups and morning glories. Many wildflowers native to Mongolia have been collected by botanists and planted in flower gardens around the world.
13. The most important plant of the Gobi and other dry regions is the saxaul tree. The leaves of the tree are so tiny that from a distance the tree looks barren, but in spring small yellow flowers are visible. The saxaul tree collects and stores water in its bark. Desert-dwelling animals and desert travellers can get water from the tree by squeezing the bark.
The tree has deep roots to keep it upright against the wind, as well as another root system that extends outward. These outward-growing roots keep soil from eroding.
14. In 2014, Mongolia declared scabiosa butterfly blue the national flower. The flower blooms all over Mongolia for three months each summer. It is resistant to drought and can survive the cold.
15. Besides the typical animals that dwell in cold climates, such as musk deer, moose, brown bear, and reindeer, Mongolia is also home to some of the world’s rarest animals, such as lynx, argali sheep, ibex and snow leopards.
16. In 1276, Kublai Khan’s forces put all of China under Mongol control. He established the Yuan dynasty. The great Khan was a great supporter of science, trade, education and fine arts. He introduced paper money and ordered scholars to devise a written Mongolian language, in part based on Chinese writing. He improved and expanded trade by buidling seaports, shipping canals, bridges and better roads.
17. In 1990 the Soviet government retreated from Mongolia. On February 12, 1992, Mongolia became an independent country.
18. Today, nearly 1/3 of Mongolians are employed in livestock and agriculture. Only 1% of the land is arable, or fertile enough to support crops. Fruits in Mongolia are primarily limited to berries and melons. Most Mongolian agriculture workers raise livestock.
19. The main animals raised are the ‘five snouts’: horses, cows, sheep, camels and goats. Bactrian camels are raised for meat, milk and wool, and they are used as pack animals when the herding groups move from one place to the next.
20. Kashmir goats are the second most popular livestock animals after sheep. Mongolia exports some of the highest quality cashmere in the world and is the second largest producer of cashmere after China. Kashmir goats are a herder’s best income-producing animals.
今年起, 小弟將暫停上載報章摘要, 減少對立分化。
