20 AGRICULTURAL EXPLORATIONS IN ALGERIA. 



to the winter crops of garden vegetables, although the soil itself is 

 never frozen to any considerable depth. The cold often seems more 

 intense than is actually the case, because of the humidity of the 

 atmosphere and the lack of facilities for heating the liouses. A tem- 

 perature of 45"^ F. is considered very disagreeal)lo. A few miles back 

 from the shore line, ))ehind the tirst i-ange of hills, for example, in the 

 Mitidja plain, near Algiers, light frosts are frequent and have been 

 known to occur as late as May. Snow, which has never remained on the 

 ground for an entire day at Algiers, has lain for three days to a depth 

 of 7.5 inches in the countr}- only a few miles back from the coast. 



In summer, except during the sirocco, the shade temperature of the 

 littoral zone rarely exceeds S6-' F., ])ut sometimes rises to 10.5° F. 

 when the Avind from the desert is blowing. At such times the nights 

 are often as hot as the days. The moderate summer temperatures are 

 largely due to the sea breeze, which rises every morning at about 10 

 o'clock. As far iidand as the influence of this wind is felt compara- 

 tively mild summer temperatures prevail. 



The climate of the littoral zone is much like that of the coast of 

 southern Europe; but fall-sown crops mature even earlier than there, 

 by reason of the milder winter and the higher tempei'atures in spring. 

 Hay is harvested in May and cereals in June in this zone. 



The valley and plain zone of the coast region has a more extreme] 

 climate than the littoral zone. This difference has already been indi- 

 cated in comparing the Mitidja Valley with Algiers, on the neighbor- 

 ing coast. The great Chelitt' Valley, farther west, presents a still 

 more marked contrast. Here, owing to the greater dryness of the I 

 atmosphere, frosts are more frequent and more severe in winter and 

 spring than along the coast. On the other hand, in sunnuer the hills 

 which ))ound these valleys on the north shut off the sea ))reeze, and 

 the heat is consequently moi'e intense. Sunstroke and prostration 

 from heat are by no means unknown in the Chelifl' Valley. The sirocco, i 

 also, is more severel}^ felt than in the littoral zone, which is partly 

 protected against this south wind by the rampart of hills that risesj 

 a short distance back from the shore. More elevated places, like] 

 Setif, have even severer winters, resem])ling those of the high plateau! 

 region. Sharp frosts are frequent as late as A[)ril and May. The] 

 summer temperatures are often very high in the daytime, but the air 

 is fresher than in the valleys and the nights are nearly always cool. 



The mountain zone of the coast region is not dissimilar in climatej 

 to mountainous regions of southern Europe. The winter, especially 

 at the higher altitudes, is much moi'e severe than in the littoral zone.] 

 On the crest of the Djurdjura range, at 7,000 feet elevation, snowl 

 often reaches a depth of 3^ feet and remains on the ground until the! 

 latter part of July. The summer temperatures are almost invariably] 

 moderate in the mountain region, except when the sirocco is blowing. 



