152 ODOROGRAPHIA, 
four thousand flowers. The flowers in a cluster expand one after 
the other, and only last a day. By some cultivators it is thought 
desirable not to fertilize more than two or three flowers in each 
cluster, and to select for the operation the largest and finest flowers ; 
these are generally to be found amongst those which are the first 
to open. (Other cultivators fertilize five or six flowers.) If this 
rule be observed, it will be found that the quality of the pods will 
largely compensate for the quantity which might be obtained by 
fertilizing a larger number of flowers. 
The old process for performing the operation of artificial fecun- 
dation consisted in cutting the labellum which is the obstacle to 
the natural process, but this plan was not always successful ; and it 
was improved upon by a Creole slave, who discovered that a more 
rapid and sure way was to lift up or tear away the labellum from 
beneath the anther, and so bring that organ in direct contact 
with the stigma. mn this way it is possible to obtain more than 
3500 pods on a single plant, but such a demand on the plant 
would cause it to perish before the fruit could mature ; therefore, 
as before observed, it is advisable to fecundate only the finest 
flowers on each bunch, selecting those which present a large fleshy 
peduncle. It is an ascertained fact that the handsomest fruit are 
produced from the first flowers, but the best fruit from the last 
flowers which open on each bunch. Fecundation is assured when 
the flower is persistent, and dries at the extremity of the fruit. 
This result obtained, the remainder of the bunch with all its 
buds should be cut off. 
The flowers of the vanilla begin to appear in June, and are 
fecundated up to September. (In India from February to April.) 
The fecundation should be made from 8 to 9 o’clock in the 
morning till 3 in the afternoon, and the earlier the better. The 
operation should be done with great care, using as little force as 
possible. The instrument employed is simply either a small 
bamboo about 3 inches long, cut very thin and rounded off at 
one end, or the dorsal rib of the leaves of palms, cocoaauts, or 
latanias (these are Réunion palms). With anything like the point 
of a penknife the danger of wounding the delicate organs of the 
flower is incurred. The operation is quite simple, and may be 
executed with great rapidity by a light and practised hana, An 
expert will fertilize as many as a thousand flowers and upwards in 
the course of a forenoon. The rule is as follows :—Seize the base 
