AI'l'IXDIX. 



I"'\IK.\» i> troin .1 j)aj)t'r .uklrt'ssccl to the Colonial >><h r«i.iry 



I))' Mr. \. Caiulcy. Assistant nircctor of the Royal Botanical 



(»arclens. Mauritius, and supplied by Messrs. Brookes and Cireen, 



Brokers, Mincing Lane, London : — 



Uily 23, iS74- 



Sir, 



I h.iw the honour to l.iy before you the following details respecting the 

 cultivation of the N'anilla plant (I'. pUxnifolia) as practised by the princijial 

 •jrow.rs in this Colonv, viz. : — 



PRKrARlNC. THK ('.ROUND FOR I'l.AM INC.. 



The plant will grow tolerably well in any porous soil, still it h.is Inren found by 

 practical growers that a composition consisting of eijual jwrts of welUdecom|)oscd 

 leaves, loam, s,\nd, and ( harcoal, is l)est suited to the wants of the plant, and when 

 this can be obtained trenches should be made the entire length of the ground 

 intended for the plantation, 18 inches wide, 1 feet deep, and 8 feel ajurt, and filled 

 previous to planting with the com|X)sition just alluded to. Some growers put only 

 a small ijuantity of the composition into the trenches the first season, or sutlicienl 

 to give the plant a start, adding the remainder year by year, by way of surface 

 dressing, but this is objectionable in countries subjected to heavy periodical rains, 

 as the trenches often stand full of water during such niins, greatly to the injury of 

 the plants: it is, therefore, sa fir t(» fill tin- tn-m lus the lirst \ car. or when the 

 plants are planted. 



.SH.VDK. 



The Vanill.1, like the rest of the orchid-n cal, delight .<, a fact which at 



oncx* sujjgests that it ought to l)c planted among trees sufficiently brge to screen it 

 from the direct rays of the sun, but where such trees are not avaibble jroung trees 



