28 



SPICES 



CHAP. 



and it was formerly grown with some success in 

 Ceylon. 



It will be noticed that the greatest success has been 

 obtained in insular climates, and possibly proximity to 

 the sea may be an important factor in its successful 

 cultivation. 



In the Seychelles Islands, which have been famous 

 for the cultivation of this spice, the temperature varies 

 from 90 to 70 Fahr., rarely going as low as 67, 

 the commonest temperature being 80. The rainfall is 

 100*8 in., evenly distributed throughout the year, 

 but a dry spell is looked for from July to September. 

 The heaviest rains occur in December, but the air is 

 always moist. In the Seychelles it appears that the 

 heavy rains of December do not affect the crops so 

 much as irregular rains in August, for the Curator of 

 the Botanic Station in his Report for 1905, states that the 

 weather was very promising until the end of July, but 

 the rain fell abundantly in August and September, and 

 the vanilla vines put forth new growth instead of 

 flowering, and he therefore predicts a consequent reduc- 

 tion in the crop of pods. 



The Colonial Office Report gives the following table 

 of rainfall and temperature for Victoria, in the Seychelles, 

 for five years : 



The average daily maximum was 83*5 and the 

 minimum 78*3. The average rainfall was 100'8, but 

 the value of the rainfall is measured not so much by 

 the inches as by the distribution. Thus in 1904, 



