PROGRESS OF FOREST ADMINISTRATION 49 



tains, or desert, of course, do not follow exactly the prevailing 

 wind directions of the season. The winds from the desert, 

 locally known as the "Sirocco," are extremely hot and dry 

 and disastrous to plant hfe. The changes from east to north- 

 west winds, and vice versa, occur usually in November and in 

 April. 



In the coast region the rains commence at the end of Sep- 

 tember, October, or November, when the strong northwest 

 winds from the Mediterranean begin to blow. They cease in 

 May or early June; but in December, January, and February 

 there are dry spells of from 15 to 20 days. The coast rainfall 

 reaches i poo mm. (39 inches) at Bone and as high as 486 mm. 

 (19 inches) at Oran. 



The Algerian temperature is mild, and except for days when 

 the Sirocco is blowing, rarely exceeds 30° C. (86° F.). The aver- 

 age of the extremes for August, the hottest month, is 28° C. 

 to 33° C. (82° F. to 91° F.); for January, the coldest, the aver- 

 ages are 14° C. to 17° C. (57° F. to 63° F.) never falling below 

 2° C. to 9° C. (36° F. to 32° F.), or rising above 40° C. to 48° C. 

 (io4°F. toii8°F.). 



The zone nearest to the sea receives on an average from 1000 

 to 1200 mm. (39 to 47 inches) of precipitation; other regions — 

 Kabylie, Algiers with the surrounding country, and the north- 

 western part of the province of Constantine — about 800 mm. 

 (31 inches); other parts only — 500 mm. (20 inches). ( On the 

 high plateaus and within the Sahara region the precipitation 

 amounts to about ,5oo~mm. (8 inches) ; farther south rains 

 appear as the exception — once in several years. The north- 

 westerly winds bring the heaviest rains, but only on high plateaus 

 and mountainous sections. 



PROGRESS OF FOREST ADMINISTRATION 



Forest Situation — General. — The present situation in Al- 

 geria, as regards the administration of its forest area, is highly 

 encouraging when compared to what has gone on in the past. 

 As one reflects that the forests will always, with the best manage- 

 ment, have to fight for their very existence against the inhos- 



