In order to find clues as to how they lived it might be reasonable to visit the most primitive and isolated oasis community in the Tarim Basin. Arguably this is the village of Tongguzbasti which lies in the delta of the Keriya River, in the middle of the Taklamakan desert…

Starveacre is most injured when spraying is not done until the weed has just begun to flower, when the plants are usually killed outright.

Promposals can mimic marriage proposals — dropping down to one knee, and all that — or they can be more fun. Most appear to simply spell “prom?” in a creative way, and involve flowers.

As some raw youth in country bred, To arms by thirst of honour led, When at a skirmish first he hears The bullets whistling round his ears, Will duck his head aside