The herald., 1894-12-23
VANILLA CULTURE IN MEXICO.
Interesting Facts About a Gu
riouS Industry.
Information About Very Lucrative
Branch Of Agriculture.
The -~suit . Temptation to Thieves-Ex-
Stses of fPlanting-Curing
the Fruit.
lsECoND LETTER. ]

Mexico, Dec. lin q previous letter it
was stated that the vanilla ripens in
January, February and March. The
crop is often gathered before it is per-
iectly mature, and, as q result, weighs
a pound or two less to the 1000, and con-
sequently brings a smaller price in the
market. The reason for this premature
harvesting is that great quantities Of
the fruit are often stolen, and it is
difficult thing to watch the planta.
tions night and day, 30 the
owners often cell in advance. Those
who have vanilla ct some distance rom
the house, when they hear that there is
a purchaser about, gather their fruit
and sell it, for fear 1t will be stolen.
The only means to avoid being 70 bbed
Is to have the vines close to the house
and employ Trustworthy help in watchs
ing it. But fortunately there is not 30
much OF this done as formerly. as the
laws are severe, and the punishment
has been very heavy on the wrong
doers.
EXPENSES OF PLANTING.
Cuttings for planting can be purchased
just after the harvesting season for from
so to $40 per thousand. During the
Towering season and later they are nat.
urally higher in price. The average ex-
pence, including cost of vines. clearing,
planting. etc.. is from $40 to $25 per
thousand. The plant, as previously
stated. yields a crop in two years, but
the yield gradually increases in amount
till about the sixth year, when it com.
mences to diminish until the tenth.
when it gives out altogether, bears
no fruit. and, OF course, must be re-
placed. Naturally, to avoid failure.
new vines must be planted to replace
the old ones, when it is seen that
the yield is not re1ompensing one for
his labor.
There are vine, when in all their
vigor produce from 80 to So pods, and
some even as high as 150-but the latter
are extremely rare-an average yield per
vine is from Is to 20 pounds. When the
vines have reached the age OF from four
to five years and often before, at or lit
tie above the point where it enters the
ground, it rots and entirely decays, but
before this takes place the vine has sent
forth sendrils, which. adhering to
the tree, have lowered them
eclVIc W tNo kIouuu uuu tnAoh
root. In this way number of roots are
thus giving added life and vigor to the
plant. Bv reason OF this decay Of the
main vine at the root, and on account of
the fact that vine severed from the
root at short distance from the ground
does not die. there has arisen gener-
ally credited belief that the vine gathers
its nourishment from the tree which
supports it. But | feel snre this lie an
error. The pla1t is hardy and very
juicy. hence, after being cut, it has in
ternai vigor enough to keep it alive
until it has dropped its runners
to the ground and they have taken
root. Another proof to me that it is
not a parasite is that, all othor condi-
tions being favorable, it will grow as
readily on dead tree as on live one,
which, of course, it would not do we're
it depending On the tree for food. The
vine is very beautiful when Towering.
for it itproduces great quantities of bios
SONS, OF which the larger portion bear
no fruit. Vines having from 80 to rs
flowers frequently do not yield more
than from 10 to IL pods.
CURING THE FRUIT.
There are several methods of curing
and preparing the fruit. but q brief des-
cription of the most simple will suffice.
Preserving the fruit as juicy and az
heavy as possible, are the two all-im-
portsnt objects. To begin with, a space
is prepared in a room that is dry and
we'll ventilated; frames are made OF
bamboo or some other light wood, and
the fruit is placed on the racks
(camillas) and in such q manner that
they do not touch each other at any
point. 1t is lett on the frames until it
has turned dark brown in color. After
this is done a sort of stretcher (tendal)
is made and placed in the yard where it
will receive the midday sun.
The tendsl is covered with mats
upon which are placed dark colored
blankets. The fruit is then spread out
upon the blankets and turned till dry.
A box large enough to contain all the
fruit which lie exposed to the sun, is
covered on the inside with a heavy
blanket, leaving enough of the cloth
projecting to cover the vanilla after it ls
placed in the box. The box is then
placed in the sun and the fruit goes
through q sweating process for q day.
This process is kept up till the fruit is
OF the color of cinnamon, and finally it
becomes black.
CLASSIFICATION.
The fruit is classified according to it's
length, quality, ETC., and it is then tied
into bunches OF &c each and is ready for
market. The cost of curing per 1000 is
about $4, q little more or less, depend
ing on the degree of care and skill used
in handling the fruit.
For commercial purposes vanilla is
divided into four classes. The first
class is composed of fruit not less than
six and one-half inches in length, per.
fectly sound. we'll matured. The second
class has all the qualities of the first,
except that it is from one-half to two.
thirds less in sizs; two Of the second are
taken as one in counting the Thousand.
The third class is known as sacate, and
includes all sizes and lengths, but is
lacking in color. was immature or too
dry; three of the sacate count az one.
The fourth class is called vescate. and
is composed Of the very shortest ones.
of those that are broken or split. In
counting the S.psN and Of this last class,
six are taasA as bs-ng equal in value to
one. w. N. HIsEY.