CLIMATE. The State enjoys a semi-tropical climate. and time proximity to the Gulf makes it climate remarkably equable. The cyclonic storms of temperate latitudes travel for the most part to the west and north, making the prevailing. winds south and southwest. so the tem Pering influenceof the Gulf uyrr the 'NI le for the most of the year. neeasim•al anti cyclonic areas. however. bring north and northwest IA Inds. varying the humidity and temperature widely. Ti'.' temperature for .January is 60' F. in the delta and 43' at Shreveport. The abs.olute minimum ton perat ore brings zero F. to the northwest corner of the State, thus giving a range of over 100° in temperature. The earliest killing frost comes on the average to the latitude of Shreveport Novem ber 1st, to the middle of the State November 15th, to New Orleans December 1st. The average date of the latest hard frost is February 1st for the latitude of Baton Rouge, and March 1st for Shreveport, thus leaving the State on the aver age nine months free from frost. The precipita tion exceeds 60 inches in the delta region, falling to 50 inches in the northern part. It is quite evenly distributed throughout the year. New
Orleans shows a maximum in June, July, and August, and a minimum in October, while Shreveport has a slighter maximum in' April and a lower minimum in August. Rain falls on the average 105 days in the year. over an area extending from Shreveport to Vicksburg. while 100 days is the average for the rest of the State. The sky is clouded 50 per cent. of the winter season and 40 per cent. of the summer.
The climatic conditions invite a very luxuriant vegetation, in which most of the warm temperate species are found, and in addition a large number of subtropical species, both herbaceous and ar borescent. The swamps are filled with cypress trees, making a very valuable source of lumber. Many varieties of oak, including the live oak, as well as the sweet gum, tulip, black walnut, long leaf pine, short-leaf pine, and cedar, abound, and trees are draped in Spanish moss. Roses. mag nolias, oleander, and jasmine grow in profusion, and the list of fruit trees includes the orange, lemon, olive, fig, peach, and plum. For Flora and Fauna SIT these sections in the article 'UNITED STATES.