282 SPICES OF THE TROPICS 



An acre of good healthy vines (say about 680 plants) is con- 

 sidered to give a return of about 200 Ib. of cured pods. The 

 yield per acre in Hawaii has been estimated to approximate 13,000 

 pods, amounting to about 120 Ib. of cured beans. The price of 

 vanilla fluctuates considerably. At present, London prices are 

 approximately: Fair to good (7i to 8i inch) 16s. to 18s. per Ib.; 

 3 to 6^ inch, 13s. to 15s. 6d. ; Mouldy, 6s. 6d. to 13s., and inferior 

 qualities from 4s. per Ib. upwards. The export of vanilla from 

 Ceylon in 1912 is given as 23 cwt. valued at nearly Rs. 20,000, and 

 that from Reunion as 51 tons, against 70 tons in 1908. 



Vanillon, or Vanilloes. (Vanilla pomp on a). A native also of 

 Mexico, yielding an inferior quality of vanilla known by the names 

 of "Vanillon" and "Vanilloes." This is claimed, however, to 

 have advantages over proper vanilla, its pods not having a 

 tendency to split as well as being easily cured, whilst the vines 

 are said to flower and fruit three or four times during the year. 

 Vanilloes fetch from Is. 6d. to 3s. per Ib. in London. 



Vanilla Essence. According to the Journal of the Jamaica 

 Agricultural Society, this product is prepared in Jamaica from 

 vanilla beans, and is sold at 20s. per gallon, which is said to be 

 equivalent to 10s. 6d. per Ib. of cured beans. 



Synthetic Vanillin. Notwithstanding the introduction of this 

 article, there appears to be at present a fairly remunerative demand 

 for vanilla, the uses of which are numerous and increasing. The 

 vanilla crops of Reunion and Seychelles have been in a flourishing 

 condition during the last few years, in some seasons realising an 

 average price of 16s. per Ib. With the legislation in France and 

 the United States restricting artificial food substitutes, there has 

 been a continuance of remunerative prices for the past two or three 

 years for vanilla, and there is said to be now a reluctance on the 

 part of manufacturers to use the artificial vanillin. 



Winter's Bark. (Drimys Winter i. Magnoliaceae). A small 

 tree of temperate South America, the bark of which is aromatic, 

 and sometimes used as a spice in medicine. The tree is well 

 established at Hakgala Gardens, Ceylon, being suited only for 

 up-country. 



CONDIMENTS AND SEASONING HERBS 



Aniseed. ( Pimpinella anisum. Umbelliferae ). An annual, 

 cultivated in the South of Europe for its small seed- like fruits, 

 which are much used in confectionery and in the manufacture of a 



