VANILLA 49 



but occasionally two or three are open at once in the 

 same raceme. The best time for fertilisation is from 

 eight o'clock in the morning till one or two o'clock in 

 the afternoon. The flowers take badly when the fertilisa- 

 tion is done during rain or in a prolonged drought, but 

 when there has been rain on the previous day fertilisation 

 succeeds very well. 



The number of flowers which can be properly 

 fertilised by one individual in a day's work has been 

 variously stated. Macfarlane says that a quick worker 

 with the vines close together and full of bloom can 

 fertilise 3000 a day, and from 1500 to 2000 is a 

 good average number. Some writers say that 6000 

 can be done by a man in the day, but this seems 

 absolutely impossible. The day's work commences at 

 7 A.M. and ends at 3 P.M., when the flowers begin to 

 close, and are no longer fit for fertilising. 



METHOD OF FERTILISING 



The only instrument required for this operation is a 

 small pointed stick of any kind of wood, or a splinter of 

 bamboo, the size and shape of a toothpick, but by 

 preference sharpened at both ends so as to save time in 

 use, as it does not then matter which end is employed. 

 A good number are made and carried in t the brim of the 

 hat, or in the coat, so that if one is dropped no time 

 need be wasted in looking for it. With this instrument 

 the operator must transfer the pollen masses to the 

 stigma of the flower. The flower is held in the left 

 hand and the lip pressed down so as to expose the 

 column, which is held between the finger and thumb. 

 The anther cap and the rostellum which covers the 

 stigma are lifted or pushed up with the stick, the upper 

 part of the column being so held that by the pressure of 

 the thumb and finger the anther cup rises, exposing the 

 pollen covered by it. Now the pollen-masses are removed 

 by the point of the stick, to which they will adhere, and 

 placed in the stigma below the rostellum (see page 50). 



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