The Hawaiian gazette., 1903-09-01
VANILLA CULTURE
IN HAWAII
CONTINUED from page 81


until the next day. During this time
the vanilla turns dark brown and
sweats freely. The vanilla remains in
the box from p. IN. until 10 a. m. The
box is then opened, the vanilla exam
ined. spread on the platform and re-
packed as during the preceding day.
This is repeated until sufficiently
sweated. This may be accomplished in
days, but with unfavorable weather
1t may require two weeks.
Pods which have remained partly
green after the first sweating should
be separated. spread out in the sun.
the colored parts covered with several
thicknesses of white cloth, so as to
expose only the green parts to the
sun. This is done to cure all parts of
the pods equally. Pods which have
split during the first sweating are
wrapped with thread and the split
part covered with white cloth when
exposed to the sun.
The sweating having been completed,
the vanilla is spread out on trays in
single layers. The following days the
trays with the vanilla are set out in
the sun for few hours and otherwise
dried in the shade. The last drying
is done only in the shade, and the
r"ys are covered with cheesecloth to
keep off the dust. Fully dried vanilla
is packed in tin boxes and covered
with cloth.
The finished article has a we'll devel-
oped aroma, feels dry but pliable and
has dark brown color. After remain
ing in the tin boxes for several weeks,
the vanilla is classified and put up in
bundles These bundles are packed in
tin boxes, which are lined with oiled
paper of correct dimensions. One month
later these boxes are opened careful
ly examined, damaged packages re-
moved, opened and cared for good
packages of the same size substituted,
the boxes closed, soldered and labell-
ed
To provide against loss during rainy
weather. the sweating must be ac-
complished by artificial heat. Good re-
suits can be obtained by the use of a
bake oven or coffee-drying house. The
vanilla Is put up In packages of GER
tain size and shape and wrapped in
woollen blankets and mats to prevent
overheating. The drying can be COM
pleted in a heated drying house.
The sorting. curing, drying, classify
ing and packing must be done by an
experienced man. A we'll equipped
central curing establishment with an
experienced foreman would, therefore,
be very desirable from an economical
point of view.
Yield. This has never been properly
ascertained in Hawaii. The wild vanil-
la plant of Mexico bears one, two and
rarely five pods, all Of superior quail
ty. Two cultivated and hand pollinat-
ed plants at Moanalua, Oahu, produced
300 pods in 1902, and $50 pods in 1903
about one-fourth being of good size
and quality. This only indicates what
may be accomplished by cultivation,
but is neither practicable nor advisa-
BILE on a large plantation. Plants yield
ing a very heavy crop may become
exhausted The roots, and sometimes
the stalk, rots away or the vines turn
yellowish green. the leaves become soft
and white, the tendrils dry and the
whole plant dies. A yield of 10 pods
for ordinary and 20 or even 25 pods
for strong, healthy plants, should
be a safe limit. On basis of 10 pods
per plant, 2 plants to each support. and
$50 supports per acre, a yield of 1860
pods would be secured. One thous-
and average good pods weigh As
pounds, and dry to half their volume
and about one-fifth their weight dur
ing the curing process; $4,000 pods
weigh 5S5 pounds, and the finished ar
ticle about 100 pounds. At least one
half of this should be of superior quail
ity and sell for from So to SO per pound,
f. O. b. Honolulu. The balance would
bring from SIPS to "a per pound. This
would give return of not less than
$435 per acre. This, however, can only
be accomplished when fair portion of
the finished article is of superior quail
ity.
Diseases. All the vanilla reported to
be growing on these islands has been
inspected by an expert of this Sta
ton and found free from fungus or
other diseases, as well as from the
various insect pests which affect this
plant in other countries. Should any
of them make their appearance, plant
ers are requested to at once notify this
Station, giving particulars and mailing
q specimen of vine affected.
More detailed information in regard
to the cultivation, curing and classify
ing of vanilla will be given in a bulle-
tin which will be issued by this Sta
ton whenever the growth of the in
dustry demands 1t.
FRANK E. CONFER,
Assistant