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never attain to ripeness on account of the heavy 

 amount of rain which falls nearly exclusively during 

 four consecutive months in the year, causing a great 

 falling off of the pods. 



In a word it is a matter of doubt, whether Vanilla 

 growing will ever prove a remunerative industry in 

 India. 



SPICES 



Of the other spices, we had cloves and cinnamon ; 

 a sample of mace and nutmeg could not be sent in time. 



It must not be forgotten that it is to the zeal of 

 Mr. Poivre formerly Intendant des Isles de France et 

 de Bourbon, that we owe these spices. Collected by 

 his care, at the cost of the utmost dangers, in the 

 Molucca Islands, Poivre entertained the hope, that 

 they might prove for the future to the Colony, the 

 same source of wealth which the Dutch, who had 

 monopolised the export of these spices, got in the 

 Netherlands' India. 



In Mauritius, these spices cultivated according to 

 the instructions furnished by Mr. Poivre, thrived re- 

 markably well and young seedlings were forwarded to 

 Bourbon, the Seychelles and Cayenne, where, in sign 

 of acknowledgment, the inhabitants erected to that 

 honest man a memorial in the Botanical Gardens, at 

 the cross- way of four fine avenues of Clove-trees. 



These spices are well acclimatized here, and their 

 fruits are as fine and as flavoured as those from the 

 islands which constitute their natural habitat. 



