CEYLON COCOA ESTATE 167 



11 operations and the rareness of complete success 

 "explains the high price of the vanilla, of first 

 11 quality. As soon as the pods are ready, no 

 "time is lost in wrapping them in oiled paper, 

 " and packing them in tin boxes ; for exposed to 

 "the air they would speedily lose their 

 "aroma." Vanilla is often covered with a 

 brilliant silvery efflorescence (much like hoar 

 frost). This kind is preferred to all others. 

 Vanilla is despatched in tin boxes, each box 

 contains about sixty packets of fifty pods each. 

 And the price greatly depends upon the uniform 

 size and length of the pod, and its arriving in a 

 fresh and moist condition. 



One of the difficulties of vanilla culture is to 

 hit upon the exact amount of shade under which 

 it should grow. Too much sun causes it to 

 droop and quickly to become sickly, whilst there 

 would be little or no crop under too much shade. 

 There is much land in the low country of 

 Ceylon which would be quite suitable for 

 vanilla cultivation, and the day will 

 come when planters will see that it is to 

 their interest not to neglect such products as 

 this, also spices — plantain flour — chillies, 

 arrowroot and other minor products, to eke out 

 the uncertain profits of tea, coffee and cocoa. 



