Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-06-14

Oh so many Closc-lined plantations tho
distance between the rows has been
increased. Living wood |. e.. small
trees, are used as supports for the
vines, these being festooned from foxk
to fork: but many planters have made
use Of hardwood posts and bars, the
former being nOtChe don top and the
latter laid in the nOtChes. resting thus
from four to six feet from the ground.
according to fancy. over these bars
the plants are hung. being iooped up
as growth Is put on. Wire Is some.
times also used instead of horizontal
bars. 1t is much cheaper, but other.
wise has disadvantages. notable
among which is that It sways with
wind and is likely to break the vines.
the curvature being too sharp over
such small round surface. However.
when plants thicken into a mass. this
last drawback mostly disappears.
Better Way Of Growing.
a third, and, as the writer believes,
much better. way of growing vanilla.
is now more generally coming into
practice. This is to plant each creep.
err on tree of its own, and where land
is cheap II is an advantage II these are
well apart. So arranged, the general
maintenance OF a vanilIery is certainly
more expensive, inasmuch as isolated
plants require more manure than when
the same number are closely grouped
together. The work of flower pollina.
ton and crop gathering is also more
laborious. But more than a counter.
poise to these disadvantages Is the in.
creased security this method of plant.
ing gives against wholesale destruction
from disease; for when SO arranged a
sick plant can be removed and destroy.
ed with greater chance of this being
done before any of its neighbors be-
come affected; whereas when growths
OF different plants are interviewer, Ell.
Their in their roots or shoots, 1t is diff
cult to know when enough has been
taken up. and there Is every likelihood
of the disease becoming established
beyond control.
Starting a vaniIlery.
To give some notion OF how a va.
nilla plantation is set out and carried
on in this colony, II will be convenient
TO assume that the tree method OF
planting is the one adopted. A great
variety Of trees will serve the purpose
Here, on most properties, there is an
ready for the work; but of
course where this is not the case suit.
able trees must first be planted. IN
selecting trees those should be chosen
which do not grow too large, but give
moderate foliage (about half shaded
ever losing all their leaves at
once, and having plenty OF branches
from five to seven feet from the
ground, affording forks enough to train
the vines through.
No Hard and Fast Rule.
No hard and fast rule can be laid
down as to the distance trees should
De kept apart. Formerly. as above sta.
ed, vanilla was grown in dense masses
With great success for a time. Else.
where 1t may be advantageously so
grown now. However, 1t is safe to
state that overcrowding in any kind
VI planting invites disease, and the
arther plants are kept apart the more
likely are they to remain healthy. A
foot radius would be a moderate al
owance for the roots OF vigorous va.
lila plant, and II one foot Is kept clear
round the circle allowed to each |
'lants roots this would give nine feet
IS the distance between the trees. 1t
would be difficult to insure the plants |
eing kept distinct in less space. |
Where suitable trees are already |
rowing on the land to be planted, |
hese can be thinned out If too close,
r they may be left in small lots OF !
hree or four or more together, a suffi- |
lent clear space intervening between
ach lot: but in that case If one vine |
{ a group showed disease the whole |
'ould have to be removed. Many trees
tand topping, and II is a great advan,
age when they do, for on being cut
even feet or so from the ground
ranches spring from near the cut part
t a convenient height, and the best
ituatcd OF those can be chosen to
'ain the vines through, the rest that
row awkwardly being removed. About
We feet from the base Is low enough
, allow any to grow.
Young Plants Need Shade.
Trees being in readiness, planting
lay be done at any time of year here.
=, during a wet spell, vanilla will
Drout all the quicker; should 1t be
ry the plants will delay little, but
lere Is no fear Of their missing il
rope:ly planted, and the one danger
pint TO guard is where the vine leaves
le earth. This part Of the vine Is
Amt through II not shaded with grass
leaves. However. this also would
Ny mean little delay in the start OF
'owth; for though they take some
me longer about it, vanilla cuttings
III grow well enough If merely tied
the trees with their lower ends some
ches clear Of the ground. lllustra-
We of the extreme vitality of plants
lder adverse conditions, it may be
entioned that in neglected planta.
ms, where the vines have been al.
wed to climb well up into the
ranches of good-sized trees, and then c
en- broken in attempting to get them q