228 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



July 20, 1912. 



FRUITS AND FRUIT TREES. 



VANILLA PREPARATION IN 



SEYCHELLES. 



The subject of the curing' of vanilla was dealt with 

 at length in a recent number of the Agricultural 

 Ne.u^s — ill the issue of May 11. In relation to this-, the 

 following consular report is of interest. It is taken 

 from the Planters' Chronicle for Ajiril 27, 1912, which 

 reproduces it from the Spice Mill. 



The proprietor of the Cascade Estate, Seychelles Islands, 

 thps describes the method of preparing vanilla beans on that 

 plantation. 



A successful result depends on the pods being picked 

 at, the right stage of maturity more than on anything else — 

 that is, when they are ripe and just before thej' begin to 

 split. An unripe pod will never prepare well and is always 

 inclined to become mouldy; split or overripe pods have lost 

 much of their value. 



A pod in condition to be picked has lost to a great 

 extent its shiny green colour, and has become duller, with an 

 almost silvery appearance. The longitudinal lines along 

 which it will eventually split, if felt, are distinctly marked. 

 The tip is light in colour or even yellowish, and comes away 

 fairly evenly from the stalk when broken oflf. Pods in 

 a bunch seldom ripen siniultnneously, so they must be 

 carefully watched. 



When brought in the pods are sorted into five ijualities: 

 (1) over 6 inches long: (2) over 4 inches long; (3) under 4 

 inches long; (4) split; (5) unripe, broken, etc. 



A cauldron of water is heated to 87°C. (189°F.); the 

 pods are placed in an openwork basket and dipped for 

 ten seconds, withdrawn, and allowed to drain for about 

 five seconds; dipped again for ten seconds, withdrawn and 

 drained as before; dipped again for about five seconds, 

 or until their colour has changed to a dark-green. Large 

 pods require a longer third dipping than small ones. 

 After being scalded the pods are wrapped in woollen blan- 

 kets and left in a warm, dry place for twelve hours, when 

 they have taken on a blackish hue. 



They are then placed in openwork trays in a hot room, on 

 one thickness of blanket, and covered by another; the temper- 

 ature of the hot room should be about 90° F , not over. In about 

 ten days the largest pods will have become wrinkled, the smaller 

 ones before that. When in this stage they can be removed to 



a cool drying room, where they are placed on trays, uncovered, 

 heaped on each other to a depth of 3 inches, and turned 

 about everj' day. The more slowly vanilla is dried the 

 better. In about ten days for small pods, dry ones may be 

 looked for; these must be taken out and stored in a dry place, 

 in well-closed wooden boxes. Examine thoroughly from 

 time to time, and take out all that show signs of mould; 

 this appears mostly at the stalk end. A dry pod should 

 have a silky feeling, the wrinkles must be soft, there must 

 be no hard centres, and it should be possible to lie the pod in 

 a soft, loose knot without its breaking. Absolute cleanli- 

 ness must be observed all through the preparation, and those 

 who handle vanilla must wa.sh their hands before touching it. 



When sufficiently dried, the pods should be put into 

 a vessel containing water at a temperature of about 80° to 

 90' F., and stirred about with the hands for five minutes, 

 then taken out and placed in tra3-s or on a blanket in the 

 sun, where they soon dry. The pods must now be measured 

 (quarter-inch differences are sufficient) in the middle only. 

 Tin boxes are used in Seychelles. 13 inches long, 9 inches 

 broad and G inches deep, a lining of parchment paper being 

 placed in each. The vanilla must be packed fairly loosely 

 and the lid secured by solder. 



The process is difficult to describe. If vanilla is to be 

 produced in any large quantity, a man should be sent to the 

 Seychelles to learn about it. The season of preparation is 

 from May to September. 



Exports from Dominica. — An official statement 

 of the imports and exports of Dominica during 1911 has 

 just been issued. Among other matters, this shows that 

 the principal agricultural and forest products and manufac- 

 tures of the island were exported as follows: lime juice, 

 concentrated, 131,506 gallons valued at £23,014; cacao, 

 10,05.5 cwt valued at £21,703; citrate of lime, ,5,926 cwt. 

 valued at £19,259; limes, 36,520 barrels valued at £14,608; 

 lime juice, raw, 311,377 gallons valued at £10,379; lime 

 oil, distilled, 5,472 gallons valued at £.3,283; lime oil, 

 ecuelled, S92 gallons, valued at £2,118; oranges, 1,803 

 barrels valued at £1,156; lime juice cordial, 10,650 gallons 

 valued at £954; coco-nuts, 402,622 valued at £839; bay 

 Vaves, 590 cwt. valued at £634; hardwood, 31,272 feet 

 \alaed at £293; limes, pickled, 711 barrels valued at £267. 



