THE AGRICULTURAL XEWS 



ANUARY 1, 191(3. 



CURING VANILLA. 



It would appear that the proccs.s of curing Vanilla has 

 as its basis the following course of events^ 



The pods are first plunged for a few seconds into boiling 

 water: this has the effect of killing some of the more super- 

 ficial cells, thus permitting the diffusion of the enzyme or 

 ferment from one cell to another. Living cells inhibit the 

 movement of the enzyme. On reaching the other cells the 

 enzyme acts upon the glucoside from which vanillin results 

 and the fragrant odour of vanilla is developed. 



The next operation consists in sweating the pods. It 

 would seem that this operation has for its object the promotion 

 of the death of more cells, and progressively the death of all, 

 coupled with the ste^idy diffusion of the enzyme from cell to 

 cell, and the liberation of the whole of the vanillin. During 

 this part of the process the object is to keep the pods warm 

 and moist; drying is prevented, thus aiding the death of the 

 cells, and the diffusion of the enzyme. The progress of the 

 changes is ascertained by the expert curer from the feel of 

 the pods as they change from the fresh state, containing 

 living cells, to the stage in which the cells are dead and the 

 vanillin liberated. This con.stitutes the main features of the 

 art of the curer. 



When the changes described are completed, the next 

 object is to dry the pods sufficiently to enable them to keep; 

 this being done, the vanilla is ready for bundling for sale. 



The drying is accomplished by placing the trays of 

 fermented pods in a cool well ventilated place, out of the 

 light. 



The middle stage is obviously the important and 

 difficidt one. It might be experimentally carried out as follows. 



The pods, after being plunged in boiling water, should 

 be placed in a glass-topped box exposed to the sun. The 

 temperature inside the box would quickly rise to a consid- 

 erable degree, and this could be regulated, as experience 

 dictates, by shading by means of cloths or other forms of 

 shade over the glass top of the box. 



The work might be done in an apparatus somewhat 

 resembling a cucuml)er frame; this might be made of any 

 convenient size, from a small experimental apparatus up to 

 a large commercial one. The chamber of the apparatus 

 should be fitted with shelves or racks on which the vanilla 

 pods may be laid in shallow trays. Access may be had to 

 the interior by means of doors suitably placed at the sides 

 and ends to enable the trays to be put in and their contents 

 examined freely. 



It would be u-seful if experiments were conducted on 

 the lines here indicated. 



It may be pointed out that the protoplasm of cells is 

 killed by exposure to temperatures of about 6")° to 70° C, 

 while the enzyme will stand a somewhat higher temperature, 

 its j)ower of inducing change is, however, destroyed at 

 temperatures .somewhat below 1*10 *'. 



.S7'. VIXCEXT: REPORT &X THE AGRICUL- 

 TURAL DEPARTMEXT FOR IdU-l-J. 



During the year under review Mr. W. X. Sands, the 

 Agricultural Superintendent, was fof a considerable part of 

 the time absent in England on leave. In his place 

 ilr. Birkinshaw, transferred later oii to Mauritius, acted as 

 Agricultural Superintendent. Conrjected with Mr. Sands' 

 absence is an interesting section of jthe report entitled The 

 Extension of Interest in the Colotjy's Products. While in 

 England ilr. Sands went to considerable trouble in the 

 matter of extending interest in the colony's products, 

 and conducted an inquiry in connexion with cotton 

 that has led to the introduqtion of a new type 

 which may take the place of ilkrie Galaute. The new 

 cotton possesses characters which prove it to be botani- 

 cally a variety of Gossypiwm pernrianum. The plant is 

 more vigorous and produces a finer lint than the ordinary 

 Marie Galante. ( 'onnected with this line of activity were 

 the efforts made at the International I'ubber and Tropical 

 Products Exhibition held at the lioyal Agricultural Hall, 

 London. A lengthy extract from Mr. Sands' report, as 

 representative of St. Vincent, is included in the publication 

 under review. Mr. Sands says: 'it is ditlicult to estimate 

 the value to the Colony of participation in exhibitions such 

 as this. It is certain that our products were brought 

 permanently to the notice of a large number of influential 

 people and business men, and in this way alone, leaving 

 out the educational side, I consider that for the comparatively 

 small expenditure incurred, the Colony's display was well 

 worth while.' 



As well as at the above exhibition, St. Vincent was 

 represented during the year at the Canadian National 

 Exhibition at Toronto. 



Turning to the internal work of the Department we 

 notice that in the nurseries there was, as usual, considerable 

 activity during the year. The improvement of the sugar 

 market was a cause for considerable enquiry for sugar-cane 

 cuttings, while, as usual, a large number of cacao and 

 coco-nut plants were sent out. The importance of growing 

 foodstuffs in view of the war led to the distribution of 

 a considerable quantity of seeds. In connexion with the 

 inspection and fumigation of imported plants and seeds 

 under the Act of 1 900, more than usual work was thrown 

 upim the Depxrtment during the year under review. When 

 it is stated that no less than 46,650 coco-nuts had to be 

 inspected and in many cases fumigated, it will be realized 

 that the work entailid with these alone was considerable. 



The plot experiments described in the report included 

 some interesting manurial trials with Sea Island cotton and 

 arrowroot. While these are of interest, they have not yet 

 been long enough in progress to yield definite results. 

 Useful work has Ijeen in progress in connexion with 

 efforts to raise new strains of cotton, particularlj' one 

 in which there is .ombined, resistance to disease with other 



