THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE VANILLA 



PLANT* 



[Translated from the French of M. David Floris, of Reunion.'] 



The Vanilla is a creeping plant which flourishes best in hot climates. 

 There are two kinds in this colony, which are easily distinguished ; the 

 little Vanilla, which generally spreads out, was originally brought from 

 Mexico, and is of the best quality ; and the great Vanilla, with large thick 

 leaves of inferior quality, and from which the pods fall off, before they 

 become ripe. 



* M. Floris, in a preface to Ms treatise, says : — " A long experience in the cultiva- 

 tion and preparation of Vanilla — recollections of the encouragement and rewards con- 

 ferred on me by the Government of this colony and by its chief city — and particularly 

 my earnest desire to be useful to my countrymen — induce me to believe in the pro- 

 priety of offering to the public the result of my numerous and persevering experiments 

 in the cultivation of the Vanilla plant, and in the preparation of its products. 



" My wish is, that all engaged in the cultivation of Vanilla may be successful with 

 their plantations and products — convinced as I am that the price of Vanilla cannot be 

 maintained in the French markets, unless we apply ourselves to the preparation of an 

 article of a superior description. A single pod of Vanilla carefully cultivated, gathered 

 in due season, and skilfully prepared, will necessarily possess more perfume than 

 several pods together of an inferior description, and the commercial community quickly 

 learn to appreciate this fact. It has, then, become important for our interests to 

 examine carefully our system of cultivation and preparation, so that our products may 

 not suffer from carelessness in their preparation for the market. 



" I had the pleasure of being made acquainted with the origin of the Vanilla plant in 

 Bourbon. It was introduced into this colony in 1817, by M. Marchand, an old horticul- 

 turist. I was then in command of the vessel in which he took his passage from Mau- 

 ritius to Bourbon, on his arrival from France ; and I had on board two large glazed 

 cases, in which were enclosed various plants which M. Marchand brought with him 

 into the colony. It is to M. Marchand, then, that we are indebted for the introduction 

 of this valuable and productive plant, and to M. Freon we owe our knowledge of its 

 propagation. 



" It may be no less interesting to know that we owe the discovery of the fecunda- 

 tion of the Vanilla plant to a Creole named Edmond, a gardener living with M. Bellier- 

 Beaumont, a resident of Sainte-Suzanne ; and that it was to this particular discovery 

 that we owe the increase of the cultivation of Vanilla, at a period when our island was 

 suffering from a severe drought." 



D 



