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superior, in quality and inferior in price to that kind 

 of spices they get in India, exported to that peninsula. 



Moreover, I am confident that Bombay, Madras 

 and Calcutta might prove good and paying markets 

 for our Vanilla ; and it belongs to the persons inter- 

 ested to snatch to our profit, by correspondences and 

 other informations, from the American products, a 

 new market, nearer to us, than our European markets. 



Whilst in India, I have been asked some inform- 

 ations on our mode of cultivating and preparing that 

 delightful epidendron. The Government of Bengal 

 wishes to encourage that new industry, which, they 

 hope may be a successful one, and on that matter, I 

 had occasion to formulate my opinion on the constant 

 failure which has always attended every attempt made 

 in growing that orchid in Bengal. 



Like most first efforts, there was a good deal of 

 groping about in the dark, in the beginning. 



The plants, not being placed close to trees on 

 which the aerial roots might suck out their life, soon 

 withered and died. That was soon remedied ; but, 

 the great transition in the temperatures in the cold 

 and hot seasons, — more than 50 "^ F. — • is hurtful fco 

 the proper growth of the plant. Then supposing that 

 the creeper gets flowers, it is very seldom that pods 

 ensues, and that may be accounted by the flo fvers not 

 having been properly fertilized, which has led to the 

 erroneous opinion, that Vanilla is not fruitful in India. 

 Then, supposing that some pods are obtained, they 



