148 ODOROGRAPHIA. 
form, vigorous and richly productive. When an open field is 
selected as the site of a plantation, the necessary supports for 
the plant must first be grown. For this purpose mangoes and 
fig-trees are preferred, also the Jatropha Curcas, the tree pro- 
ducing the “ physic-nut,’ which strikes readily from cuttings, is 
of rapid growth, and furnishes an abundance of lactescent juice, 
well suited to supply the necessary nourishment to the vanilla 
plant. (There is, however, a possible danger of the acrid matter 
contained in the Jatropha Curcas being absorbed by the parasite 
plant *.) 
When these young trees have attained a size sufficient to afford 
the necessary shade, cuttings of the orchid are set in the following 
manner :—Between the trees and following the lines in which 
they are planted, a trench 8 inches deep is dug, the cuttings are 
placed in it and covered with a little leaf-mould, dry leaves, and 
straw. The rainy season is preferred for this operation, as success 
in striking the cuttings depends essentially on moisture and shade. 
When the young shoots begin to grow, they only need to be 
guided and spread along the trellises previously arranged to receive 
them, and to allow the adventive roots to connect with the trench 
between the supporting trees. Jn two years the plantation is in 
full bearing. 
The following cultural instructions were contributed by David 
de Floris, of Réunion, to the ‘ Journal of the Agricultural 
Society of India’ +:—The cuttings must have at least three 
knots, but may have more according to the disposition of the 
protecting trees, or the shade which they can give. All trees are 
good as protectors with the exception of those which change their 
bark ; the best are the Maugoe-tree, the blackwood (Acacia 
Lebbeck), the Dragon-tree (Dracenu Draco, or Pterocarpus Draco), 
the Jack-treet, the Ouatier (Bombax Malabaricum), and the Pignon 
dInde (Jatropha Curcas); but this last should not be planted 
alone, on account of its shedding its leaves when the vanilla plants 
are in bearing, the sun then strikimg upon the vanillas and on 
their pods, being very injurious to both. It is necessary to plant 
the “ Pignon d’Inde” between the Dragon-trees and the Ouatier 
or other trees, the leaves of which may serve to shade it as well 
as the vanilla plant, to which it only serves for a protection 
* Vide Pharm. Journ. [3] xi. p. 480. t Vol xi. part iv. 
{ Artocarpus integrifolia, L. 
