Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-02-08
THE VANILLA BEAN.
ITS CULTURE AND VALUE AS A
 COMMERCIAL COMMODITY.

Market-A Picture That Is Not Par
 ticularly Charming-Curing the Beans.
 Prices and Markets.
 Cortez Bozarris Pedetro, of Mexico, was at a hotel the other evening. To reporter he said:
 ''If did not intend to go back to Mexico I could tell you some things about the coun- try that would open the eyes of the Ameri- cans who think of going there to invest in mines or anything else, but it would not be the best thing for my future happiness if I expect to dwell among them. The few wealthy Americans who go there for pleas ure and to meet the president and drink his health receive wrong impression of the feeling ill Mexico toward Americans in gen. eral. It's all right to raise the glass and ex- claim, Long live the presidentp but I'll tell you that there is no more freedom ill Mex ico, and no more regard for the will of the majority, than there is in Russia. I had for gotten myself, however and will now speak of the vanilla bean, it's culture and it's value as a commercial commodity. This is the costliest bean on earth, and there are two places in Mexico where it fourishes-Pa- pantla, in the state of Vera Cruz, and Mi santla; but the first place mentioned is the most important, and I will speak of it to illustrate
 'This town, of about 10, 900 inhabitants, is in the land of the Toconaco Indians, who speak their own dialect, rarely cut their hair or shave their beard, take bath only once year and are as indolent and improvident as any people on earth. The vanilla grows on a vining plant, which is found wild in the forests round about Papantla, clinging to the trees and bushes for support.
 WHEN THE BEANS RIPEN.
 "The beans begin to ripen the latter part of November or the first of December, and then the natives take their children and gc out into the forests and gather beans until they get all they can carry. All kinds are put into their old sacks together, and are brought into the town of Papantla to market. Here there are number of buyers, being principally Spaniards or Americans, and the competition in trade reminds one very much of a street where second hand stores prevail, and runners are out soliciting the trade of the natives. The old women are generally in the lead, half naked, perhaps, with bare breasts, long, disheveled hair, and haggard faces begrimed with sweat and dirt. Then come the children, equally pitiable in appear ance, and finally the old men bring up the rear Their long, stiff hair, matted and dirty, sometimes standing out twelve or fif- oCCA 4ACACo, Wu10 UuC1 USdlUS, ulUuy tIlltl long, lend finish to the picture that is most revolting.
 "The beans are purchased ny the middle men at the rate of $l0 or s12 per 1000, taken IS they are put up by the natives. One thou. sand good sized green vanilla beans will weigh sixty pounds; when cured, about ten pounds. The first fine morning blanks are arranged and covered with quilts, on which the beans are laid after being divested of their stems. The sweating process, as it is 'alled, then takes place, and has to be re- oeated seven times before all the water is out. Then the beans are heated slightly and placed on rows of shelves to dry and air, after which the asserting process takes place, and they Ire placed in packages containing fifty beans, each variously graded. hree weeks would be sufficient time for the ing if fine weather could be had, but this is rarely the case, and tt sometimes takes from four to five months. Last year the beans sold for $14 hundred, which was about @ pound, but owing to a heavy crop this year and the growing com oetition in the business, We have to sell our pest beans at SIP a pound, or hundred, and he inferior at from $7 to S1O. The principal markets for vanilla beans are New York, St. Louis and Chicago. They aSs bought chiefly by wholesale druggists and fine confectioners, and are becoming an important article of Mexican commerce. Last year, in the vicinity of Papantla alone, 6O, ,OOO, ,O0O were exported, :" St. Louis Republican.