GUATEMALA. 217 



Climate, Flora, Fauxa. 



The distribution of the climates in vertical zones of temperature is far more 

 clearly marked in the southern parts of Guatemala than in Mexico itself. 

 The regular rampart of mountains which dominate the Guatemalan seaboard 

 presents almost exactly the same geographical conditions throughout its whole 

 extent, and here the zones of hot, temperate, and cold lands follow uniformly 

 from base to summit, each indicated by its special types of vegetation. Above 

 the cold zone coinciding with the edge of the plateau there is even distinguished 

 a " frozen zone," that of the higher summits snow-clad for a short period of the 

 year. This highest zone is uninhabitable, and the same might almost be said of 

 the lowest, especially for European settlers. Here the mean temperature varies 

 from 77° to 82° Fahr., while the glass often rises even to 10i°. 



The two intermediate temperate and cold zones, the former suitable for the 

 cultivation of the banana, sugar-cane, and coffee, the latter for cereals and 

 European fruits, comprise by far the greater part of the Guatemalan territory, 

 and here the populations of European or mixed origin can be acclimatised. The 

 temperate zone especially, which lies mainly between the altitudes of 1,600 and 

 5,000 feet, occupies a collective area of considerable extent. In other words 

 Guatemala is, relatively speaking, far more favourably situated than Mexico for 

 the cultivation of economic plants. Its characteristic growth is the banana, the 

 alimentary plant in a pre-eminent sense, which here flourishes throughout the 

 whole of the temperate zone. 



Lying, like Mexico, within the range of the trade winds, Guatemala is 

 exposed especially to the north-east currents, which pass betv/een the cones 

 of the volcanoes down to the Pacific seaboard. But these regidar currents are 

 frequently deflected from their normal course, and then the fierce nortes sweep 

 from the uplands down to the low-lying valleys. 



The rainfall is very unevenly distributed over the different regions of 

 Guatemala. The Atlantic slope is naturally the most abundantly watered, the 

 prevailing wind being charged with the vapours from the Gulf of Mexico and 

 Caribbean Sea. " It rains thirteen months in the year," say the inhabitants of 

 Izabal. But the Pacific seaboard has also its share of humidity, and here the 

 temperate lands more especially receive copious downpours. Here the wet season 

 lasts six or even seven months, with a short interruption in the month of August, 

 due to the fact that the cortege of clouds has followed the sun farther north 

 towards the Tropic of Cancer. Even during the dry season few months pass 

 without some rain, the effect of which on the growth of vegetation is magical on 

 these rich volcanic lands. Fogs also are by no means rare at this period, and 

 contribute to support plant life. The mean rainfall has been recorded only^for 

 the capital, where it amounts to 54 inches. On the lower slopes of the temjjerate 

 zone it certainly exceeds 80 inches, while on the Quezaltenango Altos it must fall 

 short of 20 inches. 



In its natural history Guatemala resembles the conterminous provinces of 



