. 209 
His Lordship would feel obliged if you would be good enough to 
meet Sir John Thurston’s wishes in this respect. 
I am, &c. 
The Director, (Signed) R. H. MEADE. 
Royal Gardens, Kew. 
[ Enclosure. | 
Sir J. B. THURSTON to Lorp KNUTSFORD. 
oiu No. 69.) Government House, Suva, Fiji, 
Mx September 14, 1891. 
Despatch, No. M of the 16th February 1891, upon the 
planting prospects of the Colony, I had the honour of adverting ng, 
paragraph 17, to the culture of vanilla, and expressed my intention of 
taking measures for curing, upon the most modern methods, such 
8 8g. Ul 
vanilla as might be grown by planters in this neighbourhood. 
2. It affords me pleasure to state that since writing that Despatch, 
Mr. Leslie E. Brown, one of the leading residents of this port, has 
taken up the subject with much energy, ai upon his own account 
built an oven for the purposes intended by m 
3. With the aid of an expert, who is a mis of Mauritius, Mr. 
Brown has succeeded in curing the last rs crop in a manner 
which I can regard only as highly successful, “though I do not doubt 
ier with increased experience improvement may be looked for. The 
es at present are only bearing their first crop, and I am given to 
dida rstand that the first crop is never so fine as those which 
subsequently follow. 
4. Your Lordship is perhaps aware that in a remote and young 
Colony, such as this, it greatly encourages planters to receive 
authoritative expression of opinion as to the value of their produc 
I, therefore, take the liberty of transmitting with this Despatch a capil 
box, which I have had carefully closed, containing an average sample 
of the last vanilla crop, and I should feel obliged if your Lordship 
would move the Kew authorities to favour me with an opinion upon 
its value, and with any observations as to the best mode of packing 
it for the European market. 
is 
I have, &e. 
(Signed) 3 Jonn B. THURSTON. 
The Right Hon. the Saa of State 
for the Colon 
Roxar GARDENS, Kew, to COLONIAL OFFICE. 
Royal Gardens, Kew 
Sir, November 16, 1891. 
I am directed by Mr. W. T. Thiselton Dyer to acknowledge the 
receipt of your letter of the 7th instant, forwarding a copy of a Despatch 
from the Governor of Fiji on the subject of a sample of vanilla 
tite in that Colony. 
The sample was duly received . . and it was valued at 4s. 
to 5s. per pou und. It is vedi that the en should be shipped in a 
less dry condition, and softer and more fleshy in texture These and 
