GOLD COAST REPORT ON FORESTS. 163 



These figures show that the rainfall along the coast line 

 decreases as one proceeds eastwards from Axim, where it is 

 80 inches, to Kwitta, on the extreme eastern extremity of the 

 Colony, where it is only 19'61 inches. That of Kumasi, which is 

 situated in the northern half of the forest region, is 52'77, and of 

 Gambaga, the most inland station, close on the llth parallel of 

 north latitude, 48'21 inches. Aburi being a hill station shows a 

 climate characteristic of such localities, in its relatively high 

 degree of humidity, which is 8G'05 for a rainfall of only 40'72 

 inches, against 87'61 for Axim, where the rainfall is as high as 

 80 inches. 



Gambaga shows the extremes of a continental, tropical climate, 

 and has the lowest relative humidity, viz., 60'41, of those recorded. 

 The coastal stations, on account of their proximity to the sea, 

 possess a higher relative humidity than the recorded rainfalls 

 would otherwise lead one to anticipate. 



The maximum shade temperatures range from 91'56 F. at 

 Gambaga to 81 F. at Aburi, and the minimum shade tempera- 

 tures from 70 F. at Kumasi and Axim to 76 F. at Kwitta, and 

 75 F. at Cape Coast. These temperatures are well within the 

 normal range for tropical plants. The seasons of the year may 

 be divided into the following groups, viz. : 



(a.f The wet season proper, extending from about the middle of 

 May to the end of July. 



{&.) The small rains, extending from the beginning of Septem- 

 ber to the middle of November. 



(c.) The dry season proper, extending from the middle of 

 November to the end of February. 



(d.) The small dry season, which consists of a break in the 

 rains and is practically confined to the month of August; and 



(e.) The tornado season, from the beginning of March to the 

 commencement of the heavy rains in May. This is an inter- 

 mediate season in which, though thunder storms and showers of 

 rain are pretty frequent, yet the number of dry days is much in 

 excess of those on which rain falls. 



The limits given above are, of course, only approximate, and 

 they are sometimes widely departed from, but, on the whole, they 

 indicate with fair accuracy the sequence and character of the 



seasons 



] hiring the months of December, January, and February a very 

 dry, cold wind, known as the Harmattan, blows from the north 

 and north-east at pretty frequent intervals, and sometimes lasts 

 for a great number of days in succession. It is accompanied by a 

 dust haze consisting of fine particles of quartz, diatoms, &c., and 

 its contact with the hot, moist air near the coast often brings 

 about the fogs and mists so prevalent at that season of the year. 

 The Harmattan is generally supposed to blow across the sandy 

 wastes of the Soudan on its way to the sea, and to carry with it 

 the finer particles of sand from those regions. Whatever its 

 origin, it has a very marked effect on the vegetation, and, to a 



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