II 



VANILLA 85 



Eeference is made to the American Pure Food Law, which 

 compels the makers of commodities for consumption to indicate, 

 in a plain manner, whether their products are perfumed with 

 vanilla or vanillin. 



It is interesting to note, in passing, that the follow- 

 ing measures are proposed for the purpose of putting 

 prices in the French vanilla market on the most 

 satisfactory basis : 



1. A tax of 416 francs per kilogram (about 

 (7 : 10s. per Ib.) on vanillin. 



2. Application of the adulteration laws to vanillin. 



3. Reduction of the areas cultivated in vanilla in 

 the different countries where it is produced. 



The last recommendation is of special interest, in 

 view of any proposal to extend the production of 

 vanilla in the West Indies. 



Evidence as to the increased production of vanilla 

 is also given in the Diplomatic and Consular Reports, 

 No. 4243, Annual Series, Report for the Year 1908 

 on the Trade of Reunion. Here it is stated that the 

 quantities produced in recent years were as follows : 



Year. Kilos. 



1906-1907 35,588 



1907-1908 48,865 



1908-1909 . ... 70,000 



It is further stated that, of the las't crop, 44 tons 

 was exported up to February 26, 1909, when prices 

 varied between 6s. 4d. and 9s. per Ib. for first quality, 

 and 3s. 2d. and 4s. 9d. for inferior quality. The final 

 opinion given is : " there has been a great over-produc- 

 tion of vanilla during the last five or six years, and 

 prices are likely to go still lower as new plantations 

 come into bearing. 



The Semi-Annual Report of Schimmel and Co., 

 dated October 1909, contains the following : 



The French Government has received a memorial, containing 

 2500 signatures, from vanilla planters in the French colonies, 

 urging the imposition of a sufficient excise duty upon vanillin 

 to enable the vanilla producers, who describe themselves as 



