__ THE JOURNAL OP PHARMACOLOGY. 



law, only about one on an average, of the 40 flowers ordinarily produced 

 upon a branch of one or two feet in length, will become pollinated, but 

 that, if artificially pollinated, nearly all of these may be made to yiefci 

 fruits, although such a prolific yield as this would be very bad for the crop 

 and for the plants. Sometimes a dozen or more fruits will mature upon 

 a single raceme. They will then vary greatly in length— from 5 to U> 

 inches — and from \ to £ inch in diameter. Taken as they run, they will 

 weigh from 25 to 35 to the pound in the fresh condition. After curing, 

 their diameter will be reduced by nearly | and their weight by about \. 



The bright, green fruit, commonly called a bean, is structurally tri- 

 quetrous, but two of the sides are so far rounded as to make it appear nearly 

 terete, with one flat side. The top is contracted and then again slightly 

 expanded into a little disk. Its growth ceases many weeks before its ma- 

 turity. When ripe, it turns first yellowish, then brownish, and if left upon 

 the plant, will split into three parts, and a thick fragrant viscid juice will 

 be exuded. It is just before they begin to turn brown that the fruity 

 should be gathered. If left longer, they will usually split in the drying- 

 process, thus seriously affecting the value of the crop. At this time tfes 

 characteristic ordor is not yet developed. It will develop if the fruit is 

 left upon the plant, though to a less degree than when artificially cured. 



The origin of the use of the vanilla bean, "Bainillo" as it is called 

 throughout tropical America, and, for aught that we know for certainty, 

 its cultivation, is lost in antiquity. It was found in use by the native Mexi- 

 cans when the country was discovered. They used it for mixing with and 

 flavoring their chocolate, and it was for this that it was introduced abroad. 

 It was only after a long time that it began to be used for flavoring other 

 substances, and only within quite recent times that its present broad field 

 of utility has been developed. 



In citing the chief facts in regard to the cultivation of vanilla, reference 

 is made, unless otherwise stated, to the industry as it exists in Mexico, 

 where the conditions are the natural ones of the original home of the plant. 

 The large number of commercial grades depends in part only upon differ- 

 ences in the characteristics of the different beans, as determined by the 

 sorting process. A more important difference is caused by the varieties of 

 the vine which produces them. These are five in number; known 

 respectively as "vanilla coriente," meaning regular or current vanilla; "V. 

 sylvestris," meaning wild vanilla: "V. mestizo," meaning medium vanilla; 

 -\ . puerca, meaning hog vanilla, and "vanillon,"* meaning lfig vanilla. It 

 will he observed that these names bear no botanical significance, being only 

 native names used to characterize the quality or condition of the plant, and 



* The term " vauillou," as it is used commercially in th ; s market, refers to a different article, a 

 product of Bourbon. 



