CHAP. 
28 SPICES 
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 Keport 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 : — 
Rainfall. 
Maximum shade 
temperature. 
Minimum shade 
temperature. 
1901 
102-26 
F. 88-5 
68-4 
1902 
87-81 
88-0 
68-0 
1903 
132-96 
88-5 
68-0 
1904 
106-74 
87-2 
68-2 
1905 
88-91 
88-0 
71-0 
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, 
