Dr. Ting created much excitement] when he disputed Mr. Arthur de C. Sowerby's suggestion that North China actually was invaded by the desert conditions of Central Asia and that "the deserts move—particularly the more sandy ones." Said Dr. Ting:
"Not all regions invaded by moving sands necessarily become deserts, for. wherever there is a plentiful supply of sand, it is apt to move in' the direction of the prevailing wind, ana It becomes dangerous only if the movement is persistent and on 2 large scale, Then, too, North China is under the strong influence of the monsoon, the northwest wind pre-valling only for about half the year. During the other half, the direction of the prevailing wind is exactly reversed. Therefore, there is no valid) reason whatsoever to suppose that North China is being threatened by desert conditions."
Dr. Ting said it was unfortunate that the desiccation theory jained uncritical acceptance. He also scorned the idea that there is buth Ju the repeated allegation that the loess formation at anytime was covered with forest. He stated: "The formation of loess is only possible when there is no Fain to wash sway the wind-blown material, thus allow.
to accumulate. It ts true that, when the climate of North China ameliorated, towards the end of the Pleistocene, trees bean to grow on the mountains, but the leone gretna remained barren." The reason given for this by Dr. Ting was the oxceedingly low water-table under ground, Referring to the splendour and prosperity of the Han and Tang dynasties, when Shensi was the metropolitan province, Dr. Tine said the prosperity. caseloal per easily could be exaggerated, for proximity to the Capital of a country usually meant better maintenance of public works, such as irrization, and, when famine did occur, relict measures were more prompt and effec tive then elsewhere, Besides, the standard of prosperity had chanced. Whet to us was moderate well-being would have appeared to the ancient (Chinese as bountiful magnificence.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.