ANNALS OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



I. — On the Production of Vanilla in Europe. By Professor 

 Charles Morren, of the University of Liege, Member of 

 the Royal Academy of Sciences of Brussels, &c* 



1 HE natural history of Vanilla cannot have too many facts 

 brought in aid of its illustration, because it is to be re- 

 marked that all the relations of travellers -with regard to this 

 plant serve rather to perplex than to throw light upon the 

 subject. Having been fortunate enough to obtain two years 

 since, and at two different times, an abundant crop of this 

 interesting fruit, I believe I may assert that henceforth we 

 may produce in Europe vanilla of as good a quality (if not 

 better) as that which is exported from Mexico. This result 

 is owing to the progress that vegetable physiology has made 

 during these last few years, for, without an exact knowledge 

 of the organs and of their functions, the fruit of this plant 

 could never have been obtained ; on this account this new cul- 

 ture deserves particular attention. In the second place, the 

 experiments made at the Botanic Garden of Liege upon the 

 fecundation of the flowers of the Vanilla have revealed several 

 new facts in the physiology of the reproduction of plants. 

 And, as regards the distinction of species, my inquiries may 

 moreover serve to establish better diagnoses between the plants 

 of the genus Vanilla, at the same time that they tend to prove 

 that the latest works that treat of these species are far from 

 giving correct information respecting the origin of the vanillas 

 most in demand in commerce. Lastly, my experiments may 

 afford the most convincing proof, that in our own climate, but 

 in our hot-houses, the same circumstances of the ambient at- 

 mosphere as those which exist under a Mexican sky, produce 

 in the vanilla plant all the phenomena of a good and perfect 

 maturation of the fruit. 



* Read before the British Association at Newcastle, and since commu- 

 nicated by the author to, and translated for this Journal. 



Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol.3. No. 14. March 1839. b 



