THE AVOCADO IN GUATEMALA. 
27 
Differences of elevation, the proximity of mountain ranges which 
interfere with the passage of moisture-bearing clouds, the presence 
of large bodies of water in the immediate vicinity, and many other 
factors are responsible for local variations in temperature and rain- 
fall. 
Antigua may be taken as one of the most interesting avocado re- 
gions of the Republic. As has already been stated, this town lies in 
a small valley, protected on the north, east, and west by towering 
volcanos and high hills, while to the south there is an opening 
through which warm breezes enter from the Pacific Ocean. This 
region is not a cold one, as is shown by the presence of coffee planta- 
tions, and even more definitely by magnificent royal palms (Roy- 
stonea regia (H. B. K.) Cook) reaching 40 feet or more in height. 
As everyone knows, the royal palm is not a species which withstands 
much frost. 
Lacking meteorological observations, the temperature and rainfall 
of the city of Guatemala may be taken as offering a very close 
approximation to those of Antigua, since the two towns are at prac- 
tically the same level and not more than 15 miles apart in a direct 
line. According to the observations of the Laboratorio Quimico Cen- 
tral in the city of Guatemala, the mean (average) maximum and 
minimum temperatures during each month of the year 1902 were as 
shown in Table I. 
Table I. — Mean monthly temperatures at the city of Guatemala for the year 
1902. 
Month. 
January. . 
February 
March... 
April 
May 
June 
Mean 
Mean 
maxi- 
mini- 
mum. 
mum. 
o p 
o F 
72.1 
50.9 
78. 9 > 
55.5 
82 
55.7 
82.9 
57.3 
81.3 
60 
82 
60 
Month. 
July 
August . . . 
September 
October... 
November 
December. 
Mean 
maxi- 
mum. 
F. 
78.9 
79.8 
78 
76.4 
75.7 
72.6 
Mean 
mini- 
mum. 
F. 
59.7 
59.1 
68.2 
59.7 
57.5 
54.8 
The mean temperature for the entire year (1902) was 65.3° F., as 
opposed to a mean temperature of 65.1° for the year 1901. The high- 
est temperature recorded during the year was 90.3°, on April 4; the 
lowest temperature was 42°, on January 1. 
Table I, it must be remembered, contains mean temperatures. The 
absolute maxima and minima during the 12 months of the year 1906 
are shown in Table II. 
The lowest temperature recorded at the city of Guatemala by the 
Laboratorio Quimico Central during the past 15 years was 39° F. 
