The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-07-09
CULTURE OF
VANILLA
Hawaii and Porto
Rico to Have a
Chance.


botany. "for the successful establish
pent OF vanilla culture ia Hawaii and
Porto Rico"
The bulletin in question is on vanilla
culture as Pracuccd in the Seychelles
Islands. and 1t contains this interesting
preface by d. c. Fairchild:
The following paper on vanilla culture
has been prepared by MIR. s. O. Gal
braith, OF Mahe Seychelles Islands. who
was for some time associated with Mr..
W. T. Swingle, agricultural explorer OF
the Section of Seed and Plant Intro
duction, in the preparation OF Joint
memoir on the culture and disease OF
vanilla in those islands
AS the second part Of the report, which
deals with the disease. has not been com
pleted. II seems desirable not to delay
longer the publication of this part, re-
lating to vanilla culture. inasmuch as
It is practically complete in itself
Although the vanilla is a plant native
to America, its culture is now carried on
most extensively and successfully in
Bourbon, Seychelles. Mauritius, NADIA
sascar, and other islands lying in the
Tropics in the Indian Ocean east of
Africa, as well as in the Island of Tahiti
In the South Pacific.
The vanilla industry is very mpor
tant one in the Seychelles Islands, and
Mr.. Galbraith himself for many years
successful planter. is in "A most favorable
position to write on the subject of vanilla
culture.
The vanilla is a climbing orchid, the
nearly mature pod of which is the part
known to trade and that which fur
nishes vanilla flavoring. The plant grows
wild only in the Tropics, and Is SO sem
sitive to cold that its culture can be sue
cessful only in regions absolutely free
from frost
The recent annexation of the Hawaiian
Islands, Puerto Rico and other tropical
territory has added to our domain re-
Eions which there Is reason to believe
will prove admirably suited to the cult
walton of this plant
The competition of artificial vanilla,
prepared synthetically by chemical meth
DDS, has not proved to be of any con-
siderable Importance. Indeed, the price
of good vanilla has risen during recent
years probably because of the averages
of disease in the islands where 1t IS prin-
cipally grown.
Prospective growers will be greatly aid
ed in finding suitable climates and soil
by Mr. Galbraith's recommendations on
these points.
The disease mentioned in various places
in this bulletin is the one described In
the second as yet unpublished part OF
origin, of great destructiveness, and
spreads during moist hot weather very
rapidly, frequently causing total destruc-
ton of large plantations in month
During recent years 1t has seriously Grip
pied the vanilla industry in Seychelles
Bourbon, and other islands of the Indian
Ocean. This malady spreads with eN-
traordinary rapidty where plants are
crowded and allowed to intertwine, and
for this reason Mr.. Gailbraith advises
against close planting. though in regions
free from the disease such culture might
well prove more profitable than the
methods here advocated.
without going into details, 1t may be
unhesitatingly affirmed from the results
OF Mr. Ga!braith's very thorough and
painstaking studies that the malady Is OF
such destructiveness, spreads SO rapid
ly, and is 50 difficult to control. that II
would, If ever introduced ruin probably
forever the prospects of successful va
nilla culture in our new territories
1t becomes, then, a matter OF absolute
iy vital Importance to keep the disease
out of Hawaii and Puerto Rico If 1t is
ever proposed to grow vanilla there.
No surer method of destroying in ad-
vance the hope of establishing this high
ly profitable industry could be conceived
that that of carrying out the hrst
thought that would occur to an enter
prising prospective cultivator viz, or
sending to the islands OF the Indian
Ocean, where vanilla culture Is most
highly developed. for IA stock OF plants
to use in starting Il vanillery.
The only possible way OF safeguarding
our new domains against this disease is
TO prohibit absolutely the introduction
OF living vanilla plants except by the
Government, and then only after inspec-
ton by a competent plant pathologist.
Fortunately vanilla plants may be null
tiplied very rapidly II placed under fay-
orabls conditions, and from small stock
of disease-free plants It would soon be
possible TO stock all the islands
The Secretary OF Agriculture proposes
TO secure such perfectly healthy plants
for distribution 10 planters wishing to
experiment with vanilla culture, aud II
Is hoped shat meanwhile, ia the absence
OF amy definite legislation on the subject,
public opinion VIII prevent any pro-
mlsuuous importation OF vanilla cuttings
40 soon us the plants begin TO yield
pods the services OF an expert should be
secured 10 superuteud the curing, for
which specially constructed apparatus ia
required, and 10 report uu tnr quality of
the product
There is every prospect for t.r tuc-
oesaful establishment OF vanilla culture
in Hawaii and Puerto lu.9, provided
suitable =uIls and ullWulys ue found. 1pi
provided lns disease bs R.lui.l, Cor
hIu.y uu Industry NuIuH yielded 60 lHr
smal island 1f gauu iu l.5I iIlH.b 60
the styrhrlra $4,000 boo l"i ana tu
ltruulon gU.g4 in lH- h worthy uu
tfuoua attention of prospective .HllFH-
tsra Grt drslEapHy uf pubHHHiuF
puRtuau paprf uH tns subject pt NH
Time ls smpH4aIfe1 by lhg conviction tNHl
bHlA llahaI ah4 Puerto tl.4 'H.I fa''r
fHe hrlaa Co. hs introduction NJ uH
N.luaaB
cute HUa NuItes afa HHal.i Do
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