II 



VANILLA 33 



many planters use hardwood posts and bars, the bars 

 resting in notches in the top of the posts. They are 

 put at a height of from 4 to 6 ft. from the ground, 

 and the plants being brought over them and looped up 

 as they grow too long. Wire is sometimes used in 

 place of bars of wood, but though it has the advantage 

 of being cheaper, it has other disadvantages. The 

 vines are apt to break over so thin a support. When 

 the plants thicken into a mass there is no fear of this. 



Distancing. In the earlier days of cultivation in 

 the Seychelles the vines were planted so closely that 

 the workers could hardly pass between them. The 

 yield per acre was enormous, but when the disease got 

 among the vines the destruction was so rapid and 

 complete that this close planting was abandoned and 

 more space left among the vines. About 9 ft. apart 

 is the distance recommended. 



Preparation of the Ground. It is not at all desir- 

 able to clear the ground by felling and burning, as is so 

 commonly done in tropical agriculture. The waste of 

 good plant food by burning is very great, and though in 

 the case of many cultivations it is the most inexpensive 

 method of clearing the ground in the way it requires, 

 there is no need for this in the case of vanilla. The 

 ground should be opened up by cutting down all scrub 

 and unnecessary trees ; afterwards chopping them to 

 pieces and allowing them to decay in situ so as to form 

 food for the vanilla. 



In the case of the ground being bare of shade trees 

 and open and exposed to the sun, banana plants, or in 

 Mexico maize, are utilised as shade for the young 

 plant until the trees on which it is intended to let the 

 vanilla climb are sufficiently tall to give the necessary 

 shade. 



Delteil recommends the planter also to plant a hedge 

 of red hibiscus round the plantation to protect the 

 plants from the wind, especially when the site selected 

 is on the seashore. Whether this is necessary or not 

 will depend on the position and exposure of the planta- 



