Birmingham age-herald., 1894-08-12
CULTURE OF VANILLA
AN ORCHID CULTIVATED IN MEXICO
 AND SOUTH AMERICA. ee

How the Ground Is Prepared. the Cutting
 Planted and the Fruit Cured-Methods
 yaryAccording to Locality. but the Proc
 ess In Any Case Is Very Interesting. a
 Of all orchids the vanilla is the ono most widely known and is remarkable in possessing the only species of the order that has any economic value. There are about 20 species scattered throughout the tropics, that having commercial value be- ing Vanilla planifolia. Itis characterized by having tall climbing and branchingt leafy stem and large flowers of delicious fragrance chiefly white and red Gin sev- eral economic species, green) with a broad, concave stalked lip ,1at the base rolled about the column, to which tho stalk Is adnate The dark brown pods, or fruit, arc 6 to inches long and arc filled with dark, oily, odorous pulp. ii
 In Mexico vanilla is planted either in a field or in forest. To render forest fit for growing crop all is cleared off but its young saplings, which must serve as supports to the vanilla, the preference be- ing given to trees having a milky sap. Near each tree two cuttings are placed side by side in the following manner: In a shallow trench 1H inches deep and IS inches long threo knots of cutting, pre- viously deprived of leaves, are laid and covered up with brush and dead leaves. The remainder of the cutting-2 or feet long-is placed against the tree and tied to it. The supporting trees should be no nearer than 12 or 15 feet apart to give sufficient room for the development of the plant. After a month the cuttings have taken root and must be carefully kept free from weeds or bricrs of all kinds. On the third year vanilla thus planted begins to | bear fruit Improperly called beans) and continues many years. When, on tho others hand field on flat land or river bottom is selected the Mexicans first blow it up thoroughly and on it raise a crop of maize, i Whilo this is growing the field becomes. it appears covered with q quantity of young lactescent trees of the fig family,V which, after a year, are large and strong } enough to support tho vanilla vine s
 On the island of Reunion the mode of cultiyating vanilla is still different. In Mexico, where the fecundation of the flow CT is left to nature, the plant is allowed to climb up the trees while in Reunion, where the Accumulation is artif1cially per formed, the plant is not allowed to grow out of human reach Cuttings are set at the foot of trees, the trunks of which are joined together by sticks of bamboo, so as to form sort of lattice on which the va nilla can. grow and spread freely In-no case are the trees ever cut down, for the plant loves moist ground and equally fears burning sun. It is under these largo trees that the vanilla plant is seen in its typical form, vigorous and very pro ductive. In the second case the planter
 rl -<ze his future plantation. For this purpose the preference is given to tho tree pro ducing the physic nut, owing to its easy and rapid growth and it's abundant lac tescent juice well adapted to the nutri- tion of the vanilla plant When the trees have a size sufficient to afford shade to the plant, tho cuttings are set out. The rainy and the hot seasons are chosen for this operation, as tho cuttings require frequent watering while they arc taking root.
 When the young shoots begin to grow up and to send out advcntitious and aerial roots, they need only to be directed and spread on espaliers previously arranged to receive them. After two years va nilla plantation in full bearing is the re- suit Experience has shown that vanilla plantation should not be worked for over seven years, but in tho meantime new one is got in readiness so there may be no Interruption.
 The fecundatcd flower dries on the ovary and in a few days falls off, leaving the fruit, which is called the umbilic. The fruit, which contains within its tough pericarp a soft, black pulp, in which many minute seeds are imbedded, continues growing until tho end of tho first month, but it must be l. 1t on the stem six months longer to ripen enough. The vanilla har- vest in Mexico takes place in December. Each bean-or, better called, fruit-must be gathered separately and not tho whole cluster. If too ripe, the pods arc apt to split during the curing, while if not ripe they lack fragrancy and proper color. Tho ripe fruit has of itself no odor-it is n special fermentation which develops the pleasant fragrancy of the vanilla. When the fruit is left to ripen on the plant, it splits in two unequal parts and becomes first yellow, then brown and finally black,g. While it is drying an unctuous liquid of a dark red color, called balsam of vanilla, exudes, and when quite dry tho pod is brittle and almost devoid of all odor.
 Various are tho processes known for curing-thcre is the Guiana, Peruvian, Mexican and Reunion. The Mexican process is as follows: As soon as gathered the beans arc placed in heaps under she'd to protect them from both rain and sunt shine, md few days later are submitted to sweating porcess. This is carried out in two different ways, according to the, state of the weather. If it happens to bo warm and clear, the beans arc carly in the morning spread on a wooden blanket and exposed to tho direct rays of the sun. About l2 m. or p. m. the blanket is folded around the beans, and tho bundle is loft in tho sun for the remainder of the day, ! In the evening all tho pods are inclosod' in tight boxes, so that they may sweat tho whole night. Tine next day the beans arc,