VANILLA 59 



Into a perfectly clean receptacle is put 25 to 30 

 litres of water at about 140 Fahr., and 15 to 20 kilos 

 of vanilla are thrown in and vigorously stirred up by 

 hand. The pods are then taken out, lightly wiped, and 

 put to dry in the shade. 



It is claimed for this process that it saves much of 

 the perfume lost in the open air or stove treatment, and 

 saves a good deal of hand labour. 



Macfarlane's Process. Macfarlane adopts a 

 different process for Vanilla pompona from that used 

 for the pods of V. planifolia, for the process used for 

 the first named cannot be applied to the latter without 

 the loss by splitting of many of the pods. 



Vanilla Pompona. The pods when gathered are 

 taken to the house and spread out where the sun cannot 

 strike them, 6 or 8 in. deep, upon shelves or on the 

 floor until they turn brown. This takes from one to 

 three weeks, according to the ripeness of the pods when 

 picked. Pods gathered too soon sometimes lie for six 

 weeks before turning brown. Thoroughly ripe pods 

 begin to turn brown at the tip, the immature ones at 

 the stem end or in the middle. When they are of a 

 uniform deep red brown colour they can be exposed to 

 the sun. 



For this purpose wooden trays are used 3 ft. by 

 6 ft., and 2 in. deep. The pods are spread on the 

 trays about 1|- in. deep. 



For the first two or three days it is immaterial 

 whether the pods are covered with blankets or not. 

 They must be turned over two or three times a day, so 

 that all are equally exposed to the sun. This is of the 

 utmost importance throughout the whole process of 

 curing, for if neglected some of the pods are sure to be 

 burnt red by the sun. 



About 3 P.M., or whenever rain threatens, while the 

 pods are still hot, the trays are removed to the house, 

 stacked one upon another, and covered with blankets, 

 so as to keep warm through the night. 



After the third or fourth day the pods are removed 



