49 



which open on each bunch. Fecundation is assured when the flower is 

 persistent, and dries at the extremity of the fruit. This result obtained, 

 the remainder of the bunch with all its buds should be cut off. 



The flowers of the vanilla begin to appear in June, and are fecun- 

 dated up to September. (In India from February to April.) The 

 fecundation should be made from 8 to 9 o'clock in the morning till 3 in 

 the afternoon, and the earlier the better. The operation should be done 

 with great oare, using as little force as possible.* The instrument em- 

 ployed is simply either a small bamboo about three inches long, cut very 

 thin and rounded off at one end, or the dorsal rib of the leaves of palms. 

 The operation is quite simple, and may be executed with great rapidity 

 by a light and practised hand. An expert will fertilize as many as a 

 thousand flowers and upwards in the course of a forenoon. The rule is 

 as follows : — Seize the base of the flower between the thumb and mid- 

 dle finger of the left hand, placing the forefinger on the back of the 

 gynostemium to support it. Or, between the fore and middle fingers of 

 the left hand, held horizontally, place the three upper petals of the 

 flower, raising the thumb and keeping it close to the anther. Now, 

 with the little instrument held in the right hand, tear the piece of the 

 corolla resembling a hood, in order to expose the organs of fecundation. 

 The end of the instrument is then introduced under the upper valve of 

 the female organ. When this valve is completely raised straight up, 

 the stamen, which at first rises with it, tends to return to its original 

 position, bending towards the female organ ; this inclination must now 

 be assisted with the thumb of the left hand, lightly pressing the stamen 

 against the stigma, to which it will adhere. Nothing now remains to 

 be done but gently to withdraw the instrument, and the flower is fer- 

 tilized. If, at the end of the third day, the flower which begins to 

 wither immediately after the operation, maintains its position on the 

 summit of the ovary, the operation has been successful. 



HARVESTING THB FRUIT. 



The fecundated flower decays and dries at the extremity of the 

 ovary, and after a few days falls off, leaving the persistent gynostem 

 attached to the fruit, which continues to grow for a month, but must be 

 left on the stem for six months longer to allow it to ripen completelyc 

 The first pods to ripen are generally inferior to those which mature 

 later. It is most important that pods should not be gathered before 

 they arrive at the proper stage of ripeness, otherwise they ferment and 

 rot in a few months after preparation. The end of the pod begins to 

 turn yellow when it is approaching ripeness, but the only certain indi- 

 cation of maturity is the crackling sound produced when the pod is 

 pinched between the fingers. It is quite as important to avoid gather- 

 ing the fruit too late as too early ; if over ripe it is apt to split on the 

 stalk ; and if not so found, it will split in the curing. It is advisable to 

 visit the plantation frequently when the time for ripening approaches 

 and pluck the pods from day to day as they reach the required degree 

 of maturity, and not detach the entire bunch as is done in some 

 countries. 



* For drawing of flower and its parts, see Bulletin, Oct., 1888. 



