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THE AOIUCL'LTL'RAL NEWS. 



June 7, 1902. 



VANILLA IN THE SEYCHELLES. 



The following notes oii the \'anilla trade of the 

 Seychelles islumls are taken from an article contributed 

 by Mr. John R. Jaek.son, A.L.8., to the Gardeners 

 (''hn.nale for .lareh 22, 1902 :— 



The extension of th.' cultivation of Vanilla, not only in 

 new [ilantations, but also in entiiely new countries is 

 .suttieient inoof of its constant deniaiul, and of its value as a 

 |ii'ofitalile cro)! ; and this notwithstanding the continued 

 inaiuifactiux' and use of artifical vanilline. The following facts 

 on the [ire.seut co.ulition of the trade in Vanilla are gathered 

 from our well-informed contemporary' the Cheiitixt and 

 Drugyift, who, in leiiorting on the Vanilla sales at the end 

 of last month, .say that the supply brought forward was tlu- 

 heaviest on record, and attracted a much larger attendance of 

 buyers than usual. There was, however, a good demand, 

 anil practically the whole (piantity offered, about 2,S00 tons, 

 was .sold. T^ong lengths being scarce brought good ]>rices, 

 while medium lengths also sold were j)ods from 8 to K.', 

 iiiches long, and of good chocolate colour, fetched 2.'2s. (mI. 

 pel lt>. : 7^, to S inches, 19.s-. G(/. to 21.s-. G'/. ; and .so on in 

 pid[iortion, for it must be remend)ered that \"aniIla-i)ods are 

 clussitied in the market and valued according to their lengths, 

 plnmpnes.s, and colour. Thu.s, at the same sale the lowest 

 grade of dry, brown pods realized onlv from 4.v. to ll.v. fii/. 

 per Hi. 



Iteferring to the condition and prospects of \'anilla 

 <-ulti\ation in the Seychelles, Mes.srs. Krooks it Oreen, the 

 well known brokers, state that the Seychelles crop for 11)01 

 .shipped from August to December totalled fully double the 

 heaviest <[uaiitity e.xiiorteil from the island in any |)revi(Uis 

 season, it being estimated at about 80 tons. The feature of 

 this .sea.'-on'.s sujiply of Vanilla from the Seychelles is the 

 iiii|irecedented large projiortionof short beans. Medium to good 

 si/e (|uality measure from 6 to 8 inches, but the consignments 

 laii(ltd ill Loudon during the i)a.st three months have con 

 taineil about 75 per cent, of very .short beans, ranging from 

 *} to 5 inches. The result has been that whilst long length 

 (pialify has fairly maintained previous values, the slmit 

 mfasurenu'nls show a reduction of about 50 per cent, 'fi' 

 obtain good ()lump pod.s, it is incuudient on [ilanters to .soe 

 that early in the su'ason the young shoots are thinned by 

 picking out a ipiantity of surplus pods; in the present case 

 it would seem as though nearly all had been allowed to 

 grow. 'I'his view is somewhat confirmed by recent i-e[)orts 

 from Seychelles, which advise thai the (lowering for the next 

 cro|> is .small [xi.ssibly due to the weakening of the vines lasl 

 year ; indeed, .some of the older [ilants are reiiorted as serious- 

 ly exhau.sted — a very natural result if the abo^■e surmise 

 is true. 



The warning here given, though not expressed in 

 garilening tciin.s, will be understood liy those who cultivate 

 the plant for [irolit, a\id who will, no doulit, lienelit by the 

 hints. 



As an ilhislralion of the (piantity of N'anilla sometimes 

 shipped in one consignnu'ut, it may be stated that in N'o\em- 

 bcr last one shiimicnt from the Seychelles amounted to 

 :il,-J(>7 kilos, of which |-J,:i8fi kilos went to .Marseilles, and 

 8,881 kilos to London, The exports from Tahiti during 

 1900 annmnted to IG-.'.filU; It.., of the value o( £:$•_', 1.3G '"■ 

 no small .sum to l)e added to the finances of the islaml-. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



The Imperial Conunissioncr of Agriculture re- 

 turned b\ last mail from a brief visit to thr northern 

 islands. He laudcil on the 14th. instant at Montscrrat 

 and inspwted tiie (Jrovo Ek|( 'rim -nt Station which he 

 fimnd greatly improved and in good order. He after- 

 wards was present at a public meeting to encourage 

 an extension of the onion industry and left the sann- 

 afternoon in the R.M.S. ' Sjjey' for" Dominica. In the 

 latter island he inspected the Botanic Station and 

 Agricultural School and accompanied the Admin- 

 istrator to the n_'w estates being opened on frown 

 laniLs along tlu; interior roafl. The pro.spects of ulti- 

 mately opening up these land.s are very favourable. 

 On the 22nd. the Commis.sioner in.spected the Agri- 

 cultural School at St. Lucia and landed at Barbados 

 on the nnirning of the 24-th. ultimo. 



At the request of planters interested in the lime 

 industry at Dominica arrangeuu-nts were made tor tlie 

 Hon. Fraiuis Watts to \ isit tite island from the 2.'-!nl. 

 to the 27th. ultimo and give a jiractical <lemonstratiou 

 of the methods fijr preparing commercial citrate of lime. 

 The preliminary expeiiments were proposed to be made 

 on the Bath estate, clo.sely adjoining Ro.seau the proper- 

 ty .d' Messrs. Rose. A brief sunnnary of the residts 

 will a]ipear later. 



I'lie Tra\elling Superintendent has just returned 

 from a \ isit to Dominica where he was engage<l, in 

 company with Mr. tJeorge Branch, in visiting and 

 reporting on the Condition and prospects id' the Expc'ii- 

 nuMit Plots in that Presidencv. 



VOLCANIC DUST. 



By the Courtesy of the (io\ernnu'nt nt Barbados 

 the following notes, obtained by the Harbour Master at 

 Bridgetown, on volcanic dust encountered bv \i-,ssels 

 at sea have been communicated fiir the u.se of the 

 Imjierial Departnu'ut of Agricidture. As recordid in 

 the A(/rlciilfii nil Xnr.s the (lust at Barbados h'll from 

 T) p.m. on tlu- 7th. until A:'W on the Mth. M,iy. 



\anies of vessels arriving at i'arbado.s dnrinu the 8tli. to 

 the loth. .May that have reported meeting \'olcanic 'l»n>t' 

 similar to that at Itarliadus : 



May 8 Nor. S.S. 'Talisman' from UeUier-ara reports 

 meeting the dust at 10 p.m. on .Ma\' 7. l"iU 

 nules S.S.E. of Barbados. 



„ Schooner ' \'iolo ' from Denu-rara met the du>t 

 8 ii.ni. on 7th, 70 miles south of Marbados. 



10 I'lktne. ' I'anny' from I'ernandnuo met du>t L'.")0 



nules east of Marbados on the 8th. 



11 Ship 'Monrovia' from l!io Janeiro met the dust 



I'lO miles S.E. of liarbados on 9th ( ?8th) at 

 I |i.ni. 



,, [- liuripie '.lujiitcr' from (.'ape 'I'o\mi met the du>t 

 at l'..W a.m. on the 8th, 8.".0 udKs i:..s.|.:. finm 

 Harliados. 



