There were flowers: huge vasesful of them.

due diligence

Between Paotow and Kweisui in the northeastern corner of the Ordos Desert, hundreds of miles of irrigation canals were dug during the 1920’s with the hope of irrigating several hundred thousand acres. Large amounts of government and famine relief money were invested, and modern engineering works were constructed. The project proved largely a failure and is now almost abandoned.

Can such draw to me/My stund affections all with Cinders clag'd