“ Irkutsk takes in a large portion of Lake Baikal. The mountains of Irkutsk are rich in minerals, containing deposits of iron, coal, graphite, and salt. The climate is raw and severe, the annual average temperature at the capital being about 32°. Only an insignificant portion of the cultivable land has been cleared, by far the larger part of the country being covered with forests, filled with fur-bearing animals. The land wherever cultivated is fertile and yields ample crops of rye, wheat, oats, barley, buckwheat, and potatoes. The raising of domestic animals is confined mostly to the natives. ”