2 CLIMATE 



Pidurutalagala, our highest mountain (8,296 ft.), were about 

 8,000 ft. higher still, it would probably be covered with perpetual 

 snow. The cooler climate of the hills not only renders possible 

 the cultivation of certain plants or crops which 1 are indigenous to 

 temperate regions, but also affords residents and visitors a very 

 grateful substitute for the more bracing climate of a temperate 

 country. The fiat northern and eastern portion of Ceylon are charac- 

 terized by a dry arid climate, to which typical forms of thorny 

 vegetation or scrub are indigenous. Here, however, certain crops 

 may thrive under special methods of cultivation better than in the 

 wet zone, being specially adapted (xerophytic) to the arid climate,, 

 as for example the useful Palmyra palm, which in the dry zone 

 luxuriates and forms a valuable product. 



In Ceylon there thus occur four distinct types of climatic 

 zones, viz: (1) the hot and moist zone, from sea-level to about 

 1,000 feet elevation with a well distributed rainfall of 70 to 120 or 

 more inches, and a mean shade temperature of about 80 Fah.;; 

 this is confined to the south-western part of the island ; (2) the 

 hot and dry zone, formed by the flat country of the northern and 

 eastern part of the island, with a rainfall confined to only a few 

 months of the year ; (3) the intermediate zone, from 1 ,000 to 4,000 

 feet, with a rainfall of 80 to 130 or more inches; (4) the montane 

 or cool zone, from about 4,000 feet to the highest altitude (8,296 

 feet), with an evenly distributed rainfall of 85 to 150 or more 

 inches. In the months of January and February, cool night 

 temperatures are usually experienced in the low r -country ; thus at 

 Colombo a night temperature of 65 F. and at Kandy of 50 F. have 

 been recorded ; whilst at Nuwara Eliya a slight frost frequently 

 occurs in the period named. Such a diversified climate allows of 

 the successful cultivation of a large variety of plants or crops from 

 different latitudes, and within a comparatively small area. Conse- 

 quently there may be seen in Ceylon a considerable number of 

 acclimatized plants from Brazil, Mexico, Pacific Islands, Malay, 

 Tropical Africa, India, etc., luxuriating in the low-country ; whilst 

 at the higher elevations many species from cooler regions, as. 

 Europe, South Africa, Australia, Peru, etc., are perfectly at home, 

 many having become naturalised. 



Seasons. SIR EMERSON TENNANT said : The line is faint that 

 divides the seasons in Ceylon. No period of the year is divested 

 of its seed time and its harvest in some part of the Island, and the 

 ripe fruit hangs on the same branches that are garlanded with 



