Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-04-26
CULTURE OF VANILLA.
Mrs. Lydia Ely Tells How This
Aristocratlc Plant is Grown
in w eXlco.

Mrs. Lydia Ely, who spent a day in
| Milwaukee OH her way from Mexico Ia
her home in Kilbourn, Wis. told some
interesting things about the cultivation
of vanilla, in which She is engaged on
the isthmus of Tehauntepee, where she
has Il vanilla plantation.
1T is not an enterprise which lends
itself TO large proportions" said Mrs
Ely, for the reason that there are prob
ably not twenty acres in one spot that
are favorable for its culture 1t requires
a damp, warm, humid atmosphere but
not wet ground. Spots like these are
scattered, and for this reason there can
never be great vanilla plantations, as
there are immense coffee and sugar plan
tations. 1t must be raised where nature
mas made the conditions favorable for it,
! and there only. But it is immensely
pFohtabie, once the plants are started.
Mexico Produces Good Oranges.
Il stand alone in this venture" con
tinued Mrs. Ely. Il am tired of taking
care OF other peoples propositions, and
L have concluded that the only WAY 10
succeed is to take my own burdens upop
my own shoulders, and my own burdens
only, and go ahead. This | have done.
ana am going 10 make success of ii.
The cultivation of vanilla must be gone
into after careful study. 1t needs Il com
blnation of scientific knowledge and com
nonsense. 1t requires less money than
the cultivation of oranges though for
anyone with considerable capital. that is
a most charming and profitable branch of
horticulture in Mexico. Beyond the frost
lne there is no danger of crops being
ruined in that way. The fruit is very
fine, and the trees bear prolifically. /
nave seen one orange tree bearing 10000
oranges at one time.
Al CaopiIIoloya on CoatzcoaIcos River.
My plantation is near Caopilloloya. on
the Coatzcoalcos river and not far from
the picturesque little village of Mime
titan, which used to be a mahogany
port, III the days before the mahogany
trees were all cut down. There are
still evidences of those days to be seen, in
houses which are finished entirely in ma
hogany. not stick of other timber be-
ing used. There is an American colony
there. Many of them live in the palm
houses, with their balm-thatched, steep
roofs. Not a nail is used in these
houses. The leans are of bamboo and
the bahooka vine is used TO bind them
together. These vines are very tough
and will last for years. until they are
eaten through by the comahens, a spe-
cles of ant which flourishes there | ex-
pect upon my return, and | want to go
back Just as soon as possible, to have
one OF these palm houses built u'0n ms
place.
Many erroneous ideas prevail regard
ing vanilla, continued Mrs. Ely. PEG
pie speak of it as a bean, but there is
no bean about it, though it does grow in
pods. But when the pods open there are
no beans inside, simply a mass of tiny
spores. fine as the pollen of flower.
Then again, it is not generally known
70 1
upon the air. 1t is not a parasite, Cor
parasite sinks its roots down into the
tree that supports it and draws its nour-
lshment from the unelaborated san of
the tree. but this is not the case with the
vanilla plant. 1t is an epiphyte. not a
parasite. 1t is started first from sims
or cuttings, perhaps two feet long. which
are thrust a little way into the earth.
SIMPLY to give them support. These cut
tlngs are always placed beside a tree. two
slips TO a tree. The Sins are hound
to the tree. and the leaves of the vanilla.
beautiful. thick, waxy leaves. win press
nat against the bark. Soon the slim
will begin TO put forth innumerahIe
aerial roots, and these roots clash cIoSei,.
about the trunk of the tree, but do not
fasten themselves into the bark. They
derive no nourishment from the tree.
winch Is simply support. but are nonr-
ished wholly from the air Neyerthe.
less, they must have the support of
living tree. and there are certain kindly
species, with a soft bark, which are hest
Tor the purpose. Some growers have
planted their vanilla slips besiIh .ron
posts, but they will never flourish.
Wait Five Years for Results.
1T takes five years for the vines TO
come into bearing, that is, to any extent.
A few blossoms may appear sooner. and
soTfle pods develop, but not in any auaJ,-
tity. The blossoms are beautiful. white
and not unlike our cultivated honey
suckle in form. Their fragrance is de-
lightful. They have to be artifcialIy fer
tilted, and this is done now by means
of a stick. 1t is believed. however, that
it may be done By wild bees. which
abound in the forests. After the vine
has gotten well started, il may be sew
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