295 



the high surrounding country through tho temperate, beautiful climate of the ter- 

 raced slopes and plateaus, down through the .semitropical to tlie tropical heat of the 

 shores of tho Pacific, arc re])resented the three principal climatic zones. 



To this difference in the climate is due the great variety of the agricultural prod- 

 ucts grown in this distri«!t. There are only two marked seasons — the rainy and 

 the dry season. The rains commence invariably at the end of May or the beginning 

 of June and terniinate about the end of October. 



I give herewith in a tabular form a r6sum(^ of the annual rainfall as observed by 

 an intelligent private citizen of Colima during the yenrs 1869 to 1880, inclusive. 

 This is, as far as I know, the first reliable compilation of meteorological observations 

 ever made on this coast of Mexico. The place of observation is the city of Colima. 





Mean annual rain- 

 fall. 



Years. 



Mean annual rain- 

 fall. 



Year.s. 



Inches. 



Number 

 of liaya 

 of rain. 



Inches. 



Number 

 of (laya 

 of rain. 



18G9 



60.2 

 47.6 

 35.1 

 04.8 

 C4. 7 

 48.0 



91 

 97 



76 

 75 



1875 



39.1 

 35.1 

 32.2 

 60.1 

 45.0 

 41.0 



82 



]870 



1876 



89 



1871 



1877 



72 



187"' 



1878 - 



79 



187'i 



1879 



88 



1874 



1880 



75 





1 





Yearly mean for twelve years, 4C inches ; yearly average number of rainy days, 7>. 



It is to be regretted that no hygrometric observations have been made. The atmos- 

 phere contains considerable humidity the whole year round. 



The maxiumui teuiperature in the .shade, as observed, Avas, in July, 90^^ F. ; the 

 niiuinuiiii in Feliruary, 70^ F. ; greatest variation during the year, 26°; annual 

 mean, 83°. 



The observed monthly mean temperature during one year (1880) gave the follow- 

 ing result : 



Month. 



January . 

 February 

 March ... 



April 



May 



Juno 



Mean, 



Degrees 

 F. 

 75 

 71 

 78 

 81 

 83 

 83 



Month. 



July 



Aujjust ... 

 Se]>te!nber 

 October . . . 

 Noveuiber 

 Derember. 



Mean. 



Degree* 

 F. 

 86 

 83 

 79 

 78 

 78 

 77 



On the higher plateau in the interior tho thermometer ranges from 54° to 90°. 



While the climate of the port of Manzanillo is not very healthy, the city of Colima, 

 at an elevation of 1,4.")0 feet, and other places farther inland and of a higher alti- 

 tude, are considered healthy places. 



Tlie state of Colima, small tliough it is, is one of the most fertile of Mexico, and 

 is noted for the variety of agricultural products. It produces maize, rice, coffee, 

 sugar, cotton, cocoa, iu<ligo, tobacco, the castor-oil bean, etc. ; and upon the higher 

 plateaus of Jalisco and'Michoacan wheat, maize, and potatoes are cultivated. 



Of all the tropical and seuntropiisal fruits which this part of Mexico i)roduce8 I 

 will mention only the following: Cocoa, limes, oranges, mangoes, bananas, pineap- 

 ples, tamarinds, tlie chico (a very delicious fruit), the "aguacate," and the mamey. 

 Liuies nre exported from Manzanillo to San Francisco to a considerably extent; also 

 some pineapples, oranges, an<l mangoes. 



