The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-08-29

ed. The plants are pulled up from the
ground and the roots are freed from
soil. The plants may be wrapped in
paper or packed in moss. A part of
the plantation should be reserved for
nursery, in which the plants are
left to grow vigorously, without ex-
hausting them by qualification. This
is the best method to obtain strong
cuttings, to prevent the plants from
degenerating and to guard against
diseases. Only those parts of the plants
should be used for cuttings that have
short joints, as such cuttings will
form most roots on a given length.
Cuttings giving the best results are
obtained from laterals. The joints are
short and the terminal bud continues
growing. Cuttings of from 3 to
joints may be used. Long cuttings
may. produce flowers IS months after
planting. while with short cuttings
abundant flowers cannot be expected
before the third year.
Planting. The best time to set out
the cuttings is probably the early au-
tumn. but it may be done at any time
of the year. The longer the cutting
the more should be put in the ground.
One joint when the cutting has three,
two when four. and even four or five
when long cuttings are used. The
leaves should be cut from that part
of the cutting put into the ground,
care being taken not to injure the
aerial roots. Cuttings should be placed
horizontally and buried 8 inches deep.
The exposed end is fastened so that
the aerial roots are close to the bark
of the supporting tree. The fastener
may be raphia or any other band. No
string should be used. Should dry
weather follow the planting, it would
be advisable to water the plants. In
Mexico cuttings feet inches long
are made eight days before planting.
Some planters use cuttings feet
inches long. bury / foot / inch deep
and cover with leaves and grass. Cow
ering is necessary during dry, warm
weather to protect the rootlets, which
are close to the surface and would be
killed by the sun.
Cultivation. The trees used as sup
ports should be pruned in the late fall
Vanilla requires some sunshine, and
when growing in shaded places, bears
but few flowers and the fruit does not
mature so well. In sunny places, how
ever. the vines suffer, because the
surface of the support may become
so dry overhead as to destroy the aeri-
al roots. Some cuttings always re-
main dwarfed. These should be re-
placed as soon as practicable. The
vine is allowed to grow or feet
above the forked branches of it's sup
port. This upper portion should be
carefully separated and hung loosely
over the forks of the supporting tree,
making pollination and harvesting pos
sible without the use of ladders.
Branches from to 4 feet long. in
clining downwards. produce the most
flowers. To encourage this growth.
the vines are pinched off near the end
and thus a thick growth, completely
covering the branches of the tree. is
obtained. The vanilla plant begins to
bear during the third year and con-
tinues until Z or s years old. When
flower ing and maturing fruit. the d
plants should have a dressing Of de-
composed leaves. grass or banana
leaves and trunks. Stable manure
should not be used. unless put into
trenches. where the roots will reach it
when we'll decomposed.
Pollination. In Hawaii the flowers
10 not produce fruit unless fertilized
by hand. This must be done the morn
ing they open. One man can operate
1000 flowers from sunrise to 10 or II
4. m. In case the operation is sue
,essful the flower remains attached
70 its stalk. otherwise it drops Off in
hree days.
The flower is taken in the left hand.
.hree fingers being placed at it's back
md the thumb in front, the column
with organs of fertilization on top be-
ng supported against the middle sepal
behind. a bit Of hard wood. cut the
'ize OF toothpick and scraped smooth
Ind fat at one end. is the only tool
'equired; this is held in the right hand
between the thumb and forefinger. To
ret at the organs of fertilization east
y. the sack that grows from the
side OF the column enveloping its
ront and marking the sexual organs
: pressed down by the bit of wood.
'r this Is run through it's base. and F.,
he sack torn up. or the whole sack
nay be plucked off with finger and
humb. ii matters not how it is laid
'pen. so long as This is done quickly
md without injury to any other part
II the flower. The smooth end of the
ecundating instrument is then laid
lat on the front of the column. just |
beneath the organs of fertilization.
md being pushed up, Zig. 12), it