214 THE FRUIT GARDEN 



VANILLA 



Vanilla of. commerce is the fruit of Vanilla planifolia, a climbing orchid, 

 the cultivation of which for commercial purposes is conducted principally 

 in Mauritius and the Seychelles. It is a native of Central America. The 

 treatment in Mauritius is as follows : — Vanilla is grown on poles in partial 

 shade in loam, mixed with equal parts of sand and leaf-mould. Manure 

 should not be used, but the soil should be renovated each season with a top- 

 dressing of well-rotted vegetable mould and sand. The bed should be raised 

 about 6 inches above the surrounding surface, and supported with stones. 

 Cuttings of the stems, from 2 to 5 feet long, are planted and fastened to 

 the poles up which they are to grow. The soil is kept moist. Thus started, 

 they readily take root and grow into flowering size in two or three years. 

 The flowers require to be fertilised artificially. This is accomplished in exactly 

 the same way as orchid flowers generally are fertilised. The fruits grow to 

 full size in about a month after fertilisation, but they are not mature until they 

 are about six months old. They then begin to change to a yellow colour, 

 when they are gathered, placed in a basket, plunged for half a minute in 

 hot water, and exposed to the sun to dry. At night they are kept in a 

 closed box. When they have become soft and brown, they are dressed with 

 oil and dried again. When quite cured they are of a rich dark chocolate colour, 

 and if in good condition they are covered with needle-like crystals. 



Vanilla plants are grown and fruited at Kew, at Syon House, and in a 

 few other gardens. At Syon House Mr. Wythes is very successful with it ; 

 bunches of as many as twenty pods, each 9 inches long, have been grown by 

 him. He exposes his plants to full sunlight, except during the hottest part of 

 the day. They are trained against the back wall of a lean-to house where the 

 conditions are tropical, the minimum winter temperature being about 60 degs. 

 There is a narrow border at the base of the wall, which is filled with peat, 

 charcoal, and crocks. The plants attach themselves to the wall by means of 

 aerial roots. The pods are placed in a box or drawer to dry, and they then 

 retain their rich aroma for years. 



MONSTERA DELICIOSA 



An Aroid with edible fruits is exceptional, the order being remarkable for 

 the acrid or poisonous nature of its juices. The Monstera is very similar to a 

 big Philodendron, or it might be termed a glorified ivy, the behaviour of the 

 plant generally being similar. Multiply all the parts of the Irish ivy by about 

 fifty, and then you have Monstera delicma. There is, however, the striking 

 peculiarity in the Monstera of perforated or windowed leaves, and the flowers 

 and fruits are, of course, very different. The former, or rather the inflorescence, 

 is not unlike that of an Anthurium, but the spadix is straight, thick, and club- 

 like, while the spathe is only partially open and is boat-shaped. The spadix 

 grows to a large size, i foot or more in length, and 2 or 3 inches thick. 



